Indian actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan arrives for the screening of the film
Indian actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan arrives for the screening of the film "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" . Image Credit: AFP

Making her 21st appearance on the Cannes red carpet on Thursday evening Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, after French photographers mistook Urvashi Rautela for her, left observers flummoxed with her choice of clothing.

The star finally arrived on the red carpet dressed in a black and silver hooded gown from the collections of Sophie Couture.

The official Instagram handle of Sophie Couture has shared the details of the dress. The post said, "Unveiling a mind-blowing creation from our Maison, paired with lightweight aluminum details, a signature corset and crystals, from the Cannes Capsule Collection." The design house has a store at the Dubai Design District.

Needless to say, Aishwarya's dramatic avatar is bound to win the hearts of the fashion world. The former Miss World completed the look with ruby lips.

Few called it 'hoodie couture', some others said it appeared as if she had picked up a flowing sheet of aluminum foil from a kitchen in a hurry to act as a sort of canopy atop her flowing black gown; her fawning fans, however, insisted that she was looking very much like the "Queen of Cannes".

In the past the beauty queen has shown up in a gold mermaid gown by Roberto Cavalli, accessorised with coral lips and immaculate hair, or as the personification of Cinderella, and last year, Renaissance painter Botticelli's ageless masterpiece, The Birth of Venus, had clearly inspired her look.

Earlier in the morning, she wore a little more understandable dress -- what looked like a shimmery green cape (reportedly by Valentino) paired with straight hair, light lipliner, and high heels. This look was for a L'Oreal event. Aishwarya has been representing the cosmetics giant for more than two decades.