Designer Sarah Staudinger Shares Her Insider’s Guide to Cannes

Cannes, the picturesque resort town located on the French Riviera, is perhaps best known for its annual film festival. The whole city comes alive in May, as Hollywood A-listers touch down to premiere their new films. But for designer Sarah Staudinger of Staud, the destination has more personal significance. “I’ve been coming to Cannes and the French Riviera my entire life,” Staudinger tells Vogue. “My dad has called St.-Tropez his second home for many years, and he now lives between St.-Tropez and Monte Carlo. Cannes is one of the flashiest [cities] of the Riviera, and it feels the most cosmopolitan compared to the more laid-back cities nearby.” So, as interest in the city is at a yearly high, who better to ask for an insider’s guide to Cannes than her?

Staudinger says the setting is something you simply have to witness yourself. “The glamour and history of the French Riviera all combine in Cannes, and create a spectacle that’s endlessly inspiring,” she says. “The crowds on the Croisette, mixed with the ornate architecture and the sleepier winding side streets, all make for an unbelievable essence that’s hard to describe.” This year she even attended the festival for the first time. “I loved being able to make myself looks for a new type of red carpet and see some amazing movies,” says Staudinger. “During the festival, Cannes felt incredibly stylistic and had a great energy—something I was surprised by!”

Touching down last week, Staudinger stayed at the hotel she always frequents when heading to Cannes: the celebrity-filled Hotel du Cap-Eden-Rock. “It’s about 30 minutes from the Croisette in Cannes, to Antibes,” she says. “I highly suggest a hotel in a nearby city such as Antibes—and getting eight hours of sleep. Also, allow yourself an hour minimum to get anywhere. The festival traffic is insane.”