When Cannes calls, they all come. Some come with glitz and glamor, others with pleated skirts and flounces. And then there are those who are simply there, making an impact and attracting attention without wanting to. One of them: Schirin Thoma. But first things first.
The red carpet as a showcase for vanity
May, the Mediterranean, megastars. The setting of the Cannes Film Festival 2025 offered everything a well-stocked gossip motor needs. Photographers at the ready, members of the press with microphones at the ready, a few absent Netflix faces, a few overly present influencers with selfie sticks. And in the middle of it all, a moment that didn’t scream for attention, but got it anyway.
We’re not talking about DiCaprio or one of the Kardashian sisters, but about a young woman who, at 165 centimetres tall, doesn’t exactly push her way into the front row of the tabloids. And yet: Schirin Thoma was there. And how.
No scandals, no show – just style
Where others work with plunging necklines, exaggerated glitter or artificially staged stumbles at the Croisette, Thoma stood calmly. Almost unimpressed. She wore a dress by designer Michael Cinco, made with opulent attention to detail and staged with the care of a watchmaker.
Cinco, the man behind the gown, is no stranger to the industry. The fact that he has already dressed Jennifer Lopez and Aishwarya Rai speaks for itself. His designs stand for dramaturgy in fabric form. This was not Thoma’s first contact with haute couture, but it was definitely one of the most public.
Who is this woman anyway?
A few facts never hurt: born in Munich in 2006, trained at the Swiss film school Filmkids, first modeling jobs at the age of twelve, international catwalks since her breakthrough in Moscow. At the same time, she founded her own label – fashion label Schirin Style. No merch, no capsule collection, but real fashion with attitude. Sustainable, clear, made to order.
Thoma’s fashion is not a fashion statement, but a proof of work. Three collections have already been published and two more are planned. If you take a closer look, you quickly realize that someone is not just a model, but a maker.
No model dimensions, no compromise
Thoma has never played the game that many of her colleagues slip into. She doesn’t fulfill the norm, she defines her own. And that works. Because her career is not the result of luck or vitamin B. It is the result of discipline, education and hard work.
The fact that she also works as an extra almost seems to go under the radar. In Switzerland, she has already taken on smaller roles, appeared in commercials and delivered solid performances. No fuss, no casting show, no drama.
Cannes as a stage for the unspoken
Back to Cannes. While Princess Xenia of Saxony, who had traveled with Thoma, was primarily flirting with the comeback of her band Sqeezer, Thoma was the calming influence. Not one smile too many, no exaggerated posing, no dramatic gestures. Instead: Grace, presence, timing.
The contrast could hardly have been greater. Here the royal ramp sow with a reality TV past, there the disciplined multi-talent who prefers to put her energy into fabric panels and cuts. It couldn’t have been better cast if there had been a script.
Style doesn’t need volume
Restraint was also the order of the day when it came to make-up. Responsible for this: Rima and Sima, with an international reputation. Their trademark: natural accents, perfect glow, no Instagram filter effect. It suited the wearer, it suited the dress, it suited the evening.
Thoma did not reinvent herself in Cannes. She has simply consistently shown what she is made of. And in an industry that often produces more appearance than reality, that is perhaps the biggest news of all.
What remains?
One evening, one dress, one appearance. No break-up, no scandal, no faux pas. Just a woman going her own way. And it’s fair to say that this path is taking her to international stages more and more often. The fact that she doesn’t allow herself to bend is remarkable. The fact that she also keeps her feet on the ground is amazing. In times of fast fashion and short-lived fame, she focuses on substance.
And that, by the way, is the best story you could take away from Cannes.
