Simi Garewal made her Cannes Film Festival debut at the 78th annual event on May 19, 2025, attending the screening of her 1970 film, Aranyer Din Ratri, directed by Satyajit Ray. She walked the red carpet alongside actor Sharmila Tagore and filmmaker Wes Anderson. For this special occasion, Simi chose a custom ivory ensemble designed by Karleo by Karan Berry and Leon Vaz.

Simi's attire featured a voluminous ivory skirt adorned with rose montes and intricate silk threadwork. She paired it with a modern, cascading jacket crafted from raw silk with Indian motifs and a matching corset. The look was completed with a statement floral necklace, elegant pearl earrings, and bold rings.

Designer Leon Vaz of Karleo shared that the aim was to represent India on a global platform, using Indian fabrics like raw silks and Indian motifs in a contemporary design. The dress incorporated a freshwater pearl corset and a skirt highlighted with rose montes and silk threads in varying shades of ivory. An interesting detail was the upcycling of an older corset, paired with the new jacket and skirt, showcasing a sustainable approach.

Simi Garewal's Cannes debut also highlighted a commitment to sustainable fashion. She repeated her corset, which was first styled in 2022 at a fashion awards ceremony in Mumbai. Designer Leon Vaz emphasized that this decision made a powerful statement about sustainable fashion and timeless style, normalizing the idea of celebrities repeating clothes.

The corset, inspired by the classic Elizabethan style, was crafted from silk satin and crepe de chine from India. It was embellished with caviar beads and cut bugles to add a mirror shine to the mother-of-pearl finished embroidery materials and further highlighted with tiny lochrosen crystals. The ensemble brought together different shades of white, including beige, off-white, creme, pearl white, and snowy white, to create a classic yet modern look that reflected Simi's signature style.