Back in 2018, Kristen Stewart hit the Cannes Film Festival red carpet and caused a total stir. The actor made headlines when, as an act of defiance against the Cannes dress code banishing flats, she removed her stilettos and walked the BlacKkKlansman premiere completely barefoot instead. “If you’re not asking guys to wear heels and a dress, you can’t ask me either,” the star later said of the move.
Since then, Stewart has certainly worn heels again. But one of her most-worn shoes on the red carpet over the years has indeed been flats—sneakers, to be specific.
Whether she has been in jeans and a tee, or a more formal gown (often made by her go-to label, Chanel), Stewart has chosen to punctuate her looks in the spotlight with comfy sneakers. The low-tops (or high-tops!) have instantly made her styling choices feel more authentic and individualistic—less styled to perfection, and more injected with a finishing touch that always feels 100 percent KStew.
Stewart in Converse at the 2009 VMAs.
Photo: Getty Images
Her love of a good pair of sneakers traces back all the way to the 2009 MTV VMAs—at the peak of her Twilight fame—when she paired a taffeta Yigal Azrouël mini dress with a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors. It’s since become her signature shoe: The star has worn it everywhere from Hollywood premieres to, just last week, Cannes, when she paired a black pair with her Mathieu Blazy Chanel. “It had a sophistication, but also was a bit rebellious,” says Tara Swennen, Stewart’s stylist.
But there have been other sneakers beyond just Converse. Off-duty, she’s embraced the classic Adidas Sambas. Sleek Nike Cortez low-tops have been another favorite of hers: She’s proudly worn them on the Jimmy Fallon show, or to her own Charlie’s Angels photo call paired with Thom Browne tailoring.
