CANNES – Miu Miu dipped its toe into the Cannes scene, inviting Cara Delevingne to host a day at the beach with a branded Summer Club.
“I’m just such a fan,” the model and actress said of Miu Miu designer Miuccia Prada, as she held court on a sun lounger while strong waves crashed against the rocks. It made for a very dramatic soundtrack.
“She is one of the most incredible inspiring women, just her energy, the way she lives her life, and the way she works. I think having women like her in the fashion industry and in any industry is just such a gift. To be able to know her, to be able to work with her for years is a dream.”
They’ve become friends over time, she said, as Prada does with many of the creatives she works with. “She just has really great taste in good people. You’re always in good company,” she said.
That good company for the day included Lucy Hale, Nicky Hilton, Aja Naomi King, Lena Mahfouf, Evan Ross, Bijou Philips, Peggy Gou and Little Simz.
“I’m not the biggest fan of sparkly dresses,” Delevingne said of her short purple number – an unconventional choice for the beach. “But for some reason, she always makes me feel super comfortable. They have such a great way of mixing very eclectic, kind of timeless pieces, but bringing them into the modern world and making them feel comfortable, cool, and still very effortless, which I think is a real skill.”
The “Suicide Squad” star is taking a mini break from her run on stage as Sally Bowles in “Cabaret” on London’s West End. It’s her first theater role.
“It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “It’s been the most rewarding, most transformative thing I’ve ever done, but it’s so rewarding in every way. It’s such hard work, but my god, it is just so brilliant.”
She added that the experience of being immersed in a character for three hours straight has given her new perspective on her craft, particularly how hard theater actors work to hit the boards each night. While she is honing her singing and dancing skills, she added that she’s learned a few words of German because of the role. “Which I suppose isn’t very helpful,” she joked.
Delevingne said she needs a holiday after the show ends June 1, particularly after the rough start to the year following a fire at her home in Los Angeles. She doesn’t rule out a return to the runway, but it has to be something “really kind of special.”
She’s a Cannes regular, and shared an unconventional story of life behind the scenes of the film festival. “I love how on the front of anything glamorous there’s always a realer side of things. And one of my favorite memories is being stuck in traffic on the road and having to pee, and I was wearing a ballgown, so I just got out and peed on the beach,” she shared. “That’s the real Cannes.”
L’Ecrin Plage at the tip of Port Pierre Canto was transformed into Miu Miu’s Summer Club with a glamorous polish. The brand brought in red-striped umbrellas and comfy chaises longues and did not skimp on the logos – even the linen napkins that accompanied lunch were embroidered with Miu Miu.
A beach day out served as a different approach to its film festival involvement. Miu Miu hosts its long-running “Women’s Tales” short film series during the Venice Film Festival.
In Cannes, the Italian touch extended to the kitchen, too. Miu Miu brought in chef Lorenzo Lunghi, who normally heads up restaurant Torre at the Fondazione Prada in Milan, for servings of fresh dishes such as sliced zucchini and white asparagus salad, before guests tried their hand at pétanque in the sand.
