Dakota Johnson turned heads at the Cannes Film Festival this week by taking a fresh approach to red carpet glamour—focusing not on her hairstyle, but on what she wore in it.
Appearing at the Splitsville photocall, Johnson kept her look minimal with a classic black dress, but added a striking detail: a sparkling diamond headpiece woven into her braid. The accessory, known as the Avoine head jewel, is part of Boucheron’s Untamed Nature collection and features white gold encrusted with diamonds. She paired it with Vendôme Liseré stud earrings and a matching ring from the same luxury jeweler.
Her hairstylist, Mark Townsend, shared on Instagram that Johnson’s braid was secured with pins from Day Rate Beauty, adding practicality to elegance. The subtle shimmer of the hair jewel stood out against her otherwise understated look, making a powerful fashion statement.
While other stars competed with bold outfits and eye-catching makeup, Johnson leaned into quiet sophistication. She wore natural makeup and kept her accessories modest—except for the dazzling jewel in her hair. The effect was striking, proving that sometimes, less truly is more.
This marks Johnson’s debut at Cannes, despite being a regular at other major film festivals. Ahead of the event, she told Deadline that she had heard Cannes could be a place where people wore “gowns and flip-flops” and said it sounded like something she would enjoy. Instead, she delivered a high-fashion moment with unexpected elegance.
With just one piece of diamond jewelry tucked into her braid, Dakota Johnson managed to upstage even the most extravagant looks on the Croisette.