Anne Hathaway Debuts Sultry Style Transformation.

Anne Hathaway has been a key advocate of the coastal grandma trend, but it’s not her linen slacks that have piqued our interest. Since the American actor switched stylists from Law Roach to Erin Walsh, she’s been enjoying something of a rebrand. A bombshell rebrand, no less.

Walsh, who came on board as the Wecrashed hype was reaching its peak, has a knack for harnessing all the playful parts of Hathaway’s character and streamlining them. While Roach, who also built Zendaya’s directional fashion archive and reshaped Céline Dion’s public persona, is known for truly transportive fantastical fashion, Walsh adopts a more grounded approach to dressing her clients – with that Hollywood sparkle, of course.

Hathaway wearing what she called her dream Cannes dress by Armani.

In full Versace glamazon mode at SXSW.

She also has the benefit of hindsight. Walsh has been able to see what works for Hathaway over her two-decade career, as well as those times her style might have gone a soupçon too far. A key aspect of the subsequent recalibration? Valentino. Anne has long been a friend of the Italian house and is the perfect poster girl for Pierpaolo Piccioli’s bold use of block colors. On The Devil Wears Prada star, his fuchsia Pink PP looked shocking yet chic, his sunshine yellow was positively glorious.

Playing the Bardot ingénue while fulfilling press commitments at Cannes.

All bombshell Gucci glamour at the French film festival.

A partnership with Bulgari is also helping to add Hollywood sparkle to proceedings, which, at Cannes, erred on the retro side of film festival fashion: all beehives, cat-eye sunglasses and platforms. The micro hemline trend looked especially good on Hathaway thanks to a couple of ’60s-style Gucci and Louis Vuitton dresses that fit her immaculately, and she played a knockout card in a timeless, picture-perfect Hollywood Armani Privé gown that may well go down in Cannes fashion history. Walsh says Anne knows the second she puts something on whether it works or not: “She has an insane eye and we trust each other so if something isn’t working we move on”.

And another in sunny yellow.

When she wasn’t playing the ingénue, Hathaway greeted the roving paparazzi around the Croisette wearing slouchy suiting, wide-leg denim and crochet bucket hats. Her winning accessory that pulled the whole thing together? That signature megawatt smile. For a woman who loves dressing up, it’s been a joy to see her look comfortable – and, dare we say, 𝑠e𝑥y – in her skin this year.

“We are in alignment about intention,” explains Walsh. “It’s crazy times we live in. Fashion should be inspiring, joyful and expansive. It’s why we enjoy playing in this realm – to push and bring a little beauty to this world. People are looking to the stars, so why not bring it a bit? Bring some light and love via the clothes. I am all about that.” Anne Hathaway will doubtless have more chapters in her fashion story, but for now her narrative spells out one thing: confidence.