The Balenciaga Effect Continues: Kristen Stewart Wows In Reem Acra At Cannes 2012

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Kristen Stewart is the red carpet’s most rebellious starlet. Forget your cookie-cutter celebs swathed in Barbie pink bandage dresses – this is one lady who doesn’t play by the style rules. She swaps her stilettos for sneakers, flouts fashion trends, rarely bothers with a blow-dry, struggles to crack a smile...you get the jist. So you can forgive us for expecting to see the same tried and tested recipe – aka: a strapless micro-mini worn with nothing but black pumps – when the star hit Cannes to promote new flick 'On The Road'. But how wrong we were!

Yep, our admiring gasps were louder than ever when we caught sight of Kristen rocking the red carpet at the premiere of ‘Cosmopolis’ on Friday night. She'd pulled out all the stops for boyf Robert Pattinson’s new flick, choosing to wear a sophisticated scarlet gown. We can honestly say we’ve never seen La Stew looking so flipping ravishing! Take that, embellished minis.

Kristen Stewart and Tom Sturridge at the ‘Cosmopolis’ premiere

The glorious gown comes from Reem Acra's pre-Fall 2012 collection and with that look-at-me red tone, those sexy lace panels AND the jaw-droppingly plunging neckline, it’s certainly a dramatic - and highly unexpected - choice from our K-Stew. What promising progress! Plus, topped off with a matching red lip, classic black eyeliner and a tousled up ‘do, the actress looked hot hot HOT, not to mention super-confident.

As we reported last week, Grazia Daily has been excitedly watching the new relationship developing between the actress and Nicholas Ghesquière after she landed a fragrance contract with Balenciaga last year – and it's clear that the French designer has had a style-transforming effect on his young new muse. Could it be that Balenciaga is breaking Kristen out of her style rut? Fash fans, rejoice!

Take the actress' recent Cannes wardrobe, if you will. The first Stew-tastic outfit we saw on the French Rivera consisted of fab yellow trousers covered in an edgy print from Balenciaga, of course, teamed with a simple Juicy Couture tank top, a Rebecca Minkoff blazer and – GASP! – high heels. Laidback, yes, but oh-so-cool.

The photocall was followed by a red carpet installment for which Kristen looked suitably graceful in a pale pink gown with green, silver and black embroidery from – you guessed it – Balenciaga. And although she wisely wore a floor-sweeper, the star still showed off those slender pins with a thigh-high slit at the side. Effortless or what?

So is ‘Kristen in Fashion Rutsville’ a thing of the past? Will we see her working more jaw-dropping coolness courtesy of Balenciaga? Consider us on the edge of our seats…