Mexican talent takes center stage at Cannes.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival officially kicked off on May 12 with the traditional opening ceremony and montée des marches at La Croisette. Among the bevy of film industry professionals at the event, Mexican actors Diego Luna and Adriana Paz, in town to promote their film Ceniza en la Boca (Ashes), captured attention with monochromatic ensembles. Paz, in particular, turned heads, dressed in a black gown designed by the fast-rising Latin American brand Neithan Herbert.
The actor, who has nurtured a personal style anchored in her support for Mexican brands, opted for a body-hugging black dress. Embracing a figure-sculpting silhouette, the gown featured a halter neckline and visible stitching details. Paz topped off the ensemble with black pointed heels, silver jewelry and a tul shawl.
Celebrating Mexican craftsmanship and handmade techniques, a team of Mexican hands and talent was responsible for the outfit. As Neithan Herbert explained, the custom halter dress was crafted in-house at the brand’s atelier in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.
Between craftsmanship and heritage
For the task, the brand—founded by Mexican-Ecuadorian siblings Neithan and Angie Ruiz—explored the “relationship between structure, movement, and transparency” with hand draping and texture juxtaposition. “Layers of translucent black tulle, organza, and taffeta were manipulated and placed by hand to construct a silhouette that constantly changes with movement,” shared the brand.
Every detail was intentional and thought-out. The visible basting stitches and construction marks, for example, were left intentionally to preserve the process and the atelier’s memory. “Rather than concealing the process, we wanted to incorporate it as an essential part of the garment’s visual language, highlighting the human work behind every detail,” said the brand.
“Seeing a creation born in Mexico become part of one of the most important stages in international film and fashion is a tremendous honor for us and the entire team behind Neithan Herbert,” added the San Miguel de Allende-based label.
This isn’t the first time Paz takes Mexican fashion to the global stage. The actor has nurtured a strong relationship with Neithan Herbert, sporting the brand’s creations everywhere, from the Oscars to the Golden Globes. A muse for the brand, Paz has even walked the runway of their Spring Summer 2026 collection, “Raíz Sin Tierra.”
Now, for her Ashes promotional run, Paz has reprised her Neithan Herbert custom wardrobe—she also sported the brand to the film’s photo call—showcasing her unfaltering support for homegrown Latin American brands and representing Mexican talent.
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Paz arrived in Cannes alongside Diego Luna and Anna Díaz to promote Luna’s fourth directorial project, Ashes, as part of Cannes’ Special Screenings section. The film follows two Mexican siblings who reunite with their immigrant mother (Adriana Paz) in Madrid, only to discover a “bitter and suffocating” reality. Ahead of its Cannes debut, Netflix acquired the film for streaming in Spanish-speaking territories and Portugal and will hit screens in 2027.
