No amount of star power can truly outshine the beauty of La Serenissima, the ancient republic better known as the city of Venice. But the Venice Film Festival, with its parade of A-listers arriving for movie premieres in water taxis, comes close.
Typically held not long after the fall couture shows in Paris, the Venice Film Festival benefits, in pure fashion terms, from being a showcase of the newest garments from some designers. How these elaborate, often form-fitting, confections are transferred so rapidly from Parisian runways to Venetian red carpets hardly matters to looky-loos with their eyes perennially pressed to the glass of fashion.
This year’s festival, running from Aug. 28 until Saturday, has not just been an exhibition for new designs, but also of vintage pieces. Some looked as fresh as ever. Garments old and new are among these 15 looks, which will be hard to forget for reasons good and bad (but mostly good).
Taylor Russell: Most Modern Retro!
The actress radiated an icy elegance in a Loewe gown reminiscent of the creations of Jean Louis, a designer who had the lock on high glamour during the golden age of Hollywood studios.
Catherine O’Hara: Most Etch A Sketch!
From the collarbone down, the actress’s columnar Oscar de la Renta dress possessed a graphic chic. From there up, it looked as if someone had fallen asleep at the knobs of the children’s toy.
Emily Ratajkowski: Most Lady of the Lagoon!
Out of the Gucci archives (and seemingly also the Venetian Lagoon) came the actress’s mermaid dress: The piece is from 2004, the apex of the label’s Tom Ford era.
Nicole Kidman: Most Cosmic!
The actress’s Schiaparelli gown, which evoked the cosmos with its twinkling sequins and fringe, was the final look at the brand’s latest couture show, in June.
Daniel Craig: Most Weekend Dad!
On most other people, this watching-the-kids’-soccer-game outfit would merit fashion detention. But on the actor, whose version included Loewe sneakers, it worked.
Cate Blanchett: Most Dripping in Pearls!
After the actress’s appearances at the festival, some of her fans pointed out that you cannot spell Cate without “ate” — a way of saying that she devoured the red carpet in ensembles that included this scoop-backed Armani Privé number with enough ropes of pearls to make Marchesa Luisa Casati, the belle epoque Italian aristocrat, blanch.
Zhang Ziyi: Most Embellished!
The actress’s band-collared Armani Privé outfit immediately telegraphed as classic. Not so much the beret or superfluous fan. (Memo to celebrities: Look in the mirror before leaving the hotel and lose one accessory.)
Isabelle Huppert: Most Woke Up Like This!
Does Justin Bieber have a side hustle as a stylist? It sure seemed that way when the actress stepped out in this Erewhon-appropriate Balenciaga tracksuit.
Ncuti Gatwa: Most Monastic!
Close your eyes, take a deep breath and exhale. Then slowly chant “elegance is refusal.’’ Open your eyes and rest them on the actor, who, in a relaxed Emporio Armani ensemble, brought to mind the serenity of a Zen koan.
Sophie Wilde: Most Mysterious!
A gauzy veil and a train added theatrical touches to the actress’s otherwise simple strapless gown from Loewe.
Angelina Jolie: Most Studied!
It wasn’t so much the Hellenic draping of the Tamara Ralph dress, the offbeat faux fur stole or the curtain of honey-colored Veronica Lake hair that distinguished the actress and filmmaker on the red carpet. It was the way she struck statuary poses, as if waiting to be immortalized in stone.
Pedro Almodóvar: Most ‘A’ for Effort!
While the director deserves some credit for venturing out of the sartorial safe zone by wearing a Bazooka pink Loewe suit, next time around he may want to give the Pantone color wheel another spin.
George Clooney and Brad Pitt: Most ‘Night at the Roxbury’!
Even more flummoxing than the actors’ apparent choice to dress in sync is how, despite the platoons of designers and stylists deployed each festival season, both ended up with their trousers puddling around their shoes.
Winona Ryder: Most Lydia Deetz!
The actress, like her “Beetlejuice” character, has retained a vibe as a fashion renegade. The dark eyeliner and goth sensibility of her Chanel ensemble upheld that reputation. The outfit’s matronly silhouette did not.
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