amfAR Gala Dress Code: What to Wear on Cap d'Antibes?
A black-tie evening, a week on the Riviera: what the gala asks for, and how to dress for the dinners, the sea and the evenings of May.
Last updated 5 October 2026 · 3 min read
The amfAR Gala in Cannes is a black-tie dinner: a dinner jacket for men, a floor-length gown for women. The evening is held by the sea, in late May: plan a stole or a light jacket for the end of the evening, and shoes that can handle paths and terraces. For the rest of the week, the Riviera calls for a lighter elegance: smart dress for the great tables, flat shoes on board. A stylist prepares each evening in advance.
The gala dress code: black tie
The foundation presents the evening as a “black tie” dinner: evening dress is the rule. For men, a dinner jacket — black or midnight blue — with a bow tie; for women, a floor-length gown or equivalent evening wear. Each edition's invitation sets out the customs of the year.
If an edition adds an indication to the evening dress, it appears on the foundation's invitation; the evening's fashion show, for its part, has its own theme — in 2025, a collection inspired by spy films. Dress remains a matter of taste: you do not dress for a red carpet, you dress for a dinner.
| For whom | Dress | To plan |
|---|---|---|
| Men | Dinner jacket, bow tie, patent or polished leather shoes | A spare jacket if the evening is warm |
| Women | Floor-length gown or evening wear | A stole for the end of the evening by the sea |
| Everyone | Shoes that can handle paths and terraces | A clutch for the essentials, phone on silent |
Late May by the sea: think of the evening
In late May, the days are mild on the Riviera, but evenings by the water turn cooler, especially when the breeze picks up. Plan a stole, a light jacket or an evening coat for the end of the evening and the return.
The hotel stands in a park that runs down to the rocks: very fine heels do not sit well with its paths and terraces. A stylist helps you reconcile elegance and terrain, without giving anything up.
Dressing for the rest of the week
Gala week is also Festival week, and the Riviera dresses up. For the great tables of the coast, smart dress is enough; for a private dinner at the villa, the dress code is decided with you and announced to the guests. By day, a light elegance is the custom: linen, cotton, pale colours.
On board, flat shoes — or bare feet — are the custom, with clothes that do not mind the sea spray. If you are also attending a gala screening at the Palais des Festivals, its rules belong to the Festival: our guide Cannes Film Festival Dress Code details them.
| Moment | Dress | To plan |
|---|---|---|
| Gala evening | Evening dress (“black tie”) | Hair and make-up timed to the hour of departure |
| Dinner at one of the coast's great tables | Smart dress | A jacket for the journey, evenings turn cooler |
| Private dinner at the villa | As stated on the invitation | The dress code is announced to the guests |
| Day at sea | Light clothing, flat shoes | Protection from the sun and the sea spray |
The stylist and the fittings
A dedicated stylist prepares your looks before you arrive: a selection of pieces for each of your evenings, fittings at the villa or in the suite, quick alterations, and on gala night, hair and make-up timed to the hour of departure. Private appointments in boutiques in Cannes are requested in advance and depend on each house.
We never present styling as a way into the evening: it serves your own evenings. If you are invited to a house's table, the dress is sometimes a matter for that house; we then arrange what surrounds it — the time to get ready, the car, the return.
What the gala is not
The amfAR Gala is not a red-carpet climb up the steps: it is a benefit dinner, and dress there is judged by the standards of a dinner. Photographs of the evening circulate the next day; the dress itself is chosen for the evening as lived, not for the image.
Our amfAR Gala VIP page details what we compose, and our guide How the amfAR Gala Works recalls how the evening is organised — and why the table is taken through the foundation.
Frequently asked questions
Evening dress — “black tie”: a dinner jacket for men, a floor-length gown or evening wear for women. Each edition's invitation sets out the customs of the year.
The known principle is evening dress; if an edition adds an indication, it appears on the foundation's invitation. The fashion show presented during the evening has its own theme — in 2025, a collection inspired by spy films.
The days are mild, but evenings by the water can turn cooler, especially with the breeze. Plan a stole or a light jacket for the end of the evening and the return.
Evening shoes that can handle paths and terraces by the water. Very fine heels do not sit well with them: a stylist helps you reconcile elegance and terrain.
Smart dress for the great tables of the coast, a light elegance by day, flat shoes on board. For a private dinner, the dress code is decided with you and announced to the guests.
Yes: a dedicated stylist prepares your looks before you arrive, arranges fittings and alterations on site, and times hair and make-up to the hour of departure. The service is quoted individually, according to the number of days.
Take it further
Your looks for the week, prepared
Tell us about your evenings on the Riviera — the gala, the dinners, the day at sea: a stylist prepares each look in advance, and we compose the rest of the stay, quoted individually and subject to availability.