Bryce Dallas Howard has made a point of breaking with Hollywood tradition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

The Black Mirror actress is currently at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes to promote her hugely-anticipated film Rocketman, which sees her take on the role of Elton John’s mother, Sheila Eileen.

While many fashion critics have been focused on what her Rocketman co-stars Taron Egerton and Richard Madden are wearing (think metallic dinner jackets and printed suits), however, Howard has managed to use her time on the Cannes 2019 red carpet to promote an important message of sustainability.

That’s right: Howard has vowed that this year’s Cannes Film Festival will see her wear absolutely nothing but “consigned and previously owned pieces.”

Which means that, yes, she’s one of the most eco-friendly Hollywood stars to attend this year’s festival.

“Hey online family, I’m in Cannes! You know what means… big time fancy schmancy dressing up!” Howard wrote on Instagram, alongside a snap of her smiling at the daytime photocall for Rocketman.

“I always feel conflicted when shopping for a press tour, because often these are clothes I will only wear once. In the past, since I’ve purchased rather than borrowed I realised ultimately this wasn’t an entirely sustainable practice,” she continued.

“For several years now, I’ve relied on the @therealreal religiously to both buy and consign my own clothes. So for this @rocketmanmovie press tour, I challenged myself to exclusively dress in consigned and previously owned pieces.”

To begin her sustainable Cannes takeover, Howard wore a purple Marc Jacobs dress – which, with its gathered sleeves, button-down front and nipped-in waist, had authentic vintage styling in abundance. Keeping things as Fifties as possible, she accessorised with a pair of bright yellow Manolo Blahnik heels and orange Smoke x Mirrors sunglasses.

Later, she donned a pre-owned Gucci number to attend Rocketman’s premiere screening.

“This previously owned @gucci dress (and @reemacra belt) was an exciting find on @therealreal,” she wrote alongside shots of her plunging red and black Gucci dress, which she accessorized with a black Reem Acra belt.

“It’s pretty hot here at Cannes and it’s made out of cotton. I felt so badly for the fellas in suits!” 

Of course, it’s not unusual for Howard to work without a stylist – the actress has been doing so for many years now, as she prefers to buy her own dresses rather than rely on someone to bring her designer samples.

“It’s when you’re not ‘sample’ size, or when you don’t have a direct relationship with a designer, or if you don’t have a lot of notice, those types of size 6 dresses just aren’t that available that much,” she told People in 2016. 

“That’s the comfortable way to go through these things. So, what I found is that if something is sort of last-minute, or I don’t have a good relationship with a place, then I go to Neiman’s, or I get something online.”

Of late, Nicky Hilton has similarly made a point of re-wearing designer gowns. The socialite famously donned a Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress for the DVF Autumn/Winter 2016 show during New York Fashion Week.

And, while attending the opening of a new museum at the Statue of Liberty this week, she made a point of digging through her wardrobe so that she could bring back the monochrome print dress.

If you’re mindful of sustainability and the terrible impact consumerism has on the environment., charity shops and secondhand clothing stores are a brilliant solution. In the UK we currently bin more than a million tonnes of clothes a year. Choosing to both donate to and buy from charity shops allows those clothes to be recycled rather than ending up in landfill. And, given the zealous levels of Marie Kondo inspired clear-outs we’ve seen in recent months – with charity shops reporting vast surges in donations as we hit the new year – there’s no better time to begin browsing.

Feeling inspired? Check out our guide to unearthing hidden fashion treasures at your local charity shop.

Image: Getty