Once again, Venice is playing host to the worlds of cinema, celebrity and high fashion. Each year, the floating city welcomes actors, models and some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names for one of the most prestigious events on the international film calendar—and the red carpet is as much a part of the spectacle as the films themselves.
While the Venice Film Festival remains a celebration of cinema, its fashion moments have become equally impossible to ignore. From glamorous arrivals and highly anticipated premieres to standing ovations and star-studded evenings, the festival provides the perfect stage for celebrities to make their mark through style.
The 2026 edition is already delivering plenty to talk about. Custom couture, archival pieces, dramatic silhouettes and bold bursts of colour have taken over the red carpet, with this year’s guests embracing the glamour and cinematic spirit that make Venice unlike any other festival.
Few locations can rival the magic of the floating city. Water taxis glide through its famous canals, historic palazzos provide an unforgettable backdrop and the Palazzo del Cinema becomes one of the year’s most important stages for celebrity fashion.
Pamela Anderson, Vittoria Ceretti, Irina Shayk, Kendall Jenner and Mariacarla Boscono are among the stars who have already made their presence felt, delivering looks that have captured attention far beyond the festival itself.
With more premieres and red-carpet appearances still to come, Venice is sure to produce even more unforgettable style moments. But so far, the festival has offered an impressive display of contemporary glamour, Italian craftsmanship, archival fashion and bold creative expression.
These are some of the looks defining Venice Film Festival 2026 so far.
Pamela Anderson embraces the power of colour
Pamela Anderson made a memorable entrance at the AmfAR Gala in a striking orange satin gown that proved the impact of a bold colour choice.
The actress paired the vibrant dress with a matching shawl, creating a coordinated look that felt both elegant and dramatic. In a setting often dominated by classic black, white and metallic gowns, the rich orange shade brought an unexpected burst of energy to the evening.
The appearance also reflected Anderson’s increasingly sophisticated approach to red-carpet style. In recent years, she has embraced a more natural and understated version of glamour, allowing strong silhouettes and beautiful fabrics to take centre stage.
The luminous satin fabric caught the light beautifully, while the simplicity of the design ensured that the colour remained the undisputed focus.
The result was polished, confident and effortlessly glamorous—a reminder that sometimes one exceptional shade is all it takes to create a standout fashion moment.
Vittoria Ceretti showcases Italian elegance
Vittoria Ceretti brought refined glamour to Venice in a custom Armani Privé gown, delivering one of the festival’s most sophisticated appearances.
As one of the most influential models of her generation, Ceretti has become known for her ability to wear high fashion with remarkable ease. Whether on the runway or the red carpet, she brings an effortless confidence that allows even the most elaborate designs to feel natural.
Her custom Armani Privé creation was no exception. Combining meticulous craftsmanship with timeless elegance, the design reflected the sophisticated aesthetic that has long defined the Italian fashion house.
The setting made the moment even more fitting: an Italian supermodel wearing Italian couture in one of Italy’s most iconic cities.
Ceretti kept the focus firmly on the gown, allowing its craftsmanship and construction to make the statement. The result was elegant without feeling excessive and glamorous without relying on unnecessary drama.
Among the many spectacular looks seen throughout the festival, her Armani Privé moment stood out as a perfect example of contemporary Italian sophistication.
Irina Shayk gives Venice glamour a modern edge
Irina Shayk took a more daring approach to red-carpet dressing for The Echo Chamber screening.
The model arrived in a fitted black dress featuring distinctive lace-up detailing, bringing a darker and more contemporary interpretation of glamour to Venice.
Rather than opting for the flowing silhouettes and romantic gowns traditionally associated with the festival, Shayk chose something sharper and more structured. The fitted design created a powerful silhouette, while the lace-up elements added an unexpected sense of attitude.
The result was sleek, sensual and confidently modern.
Black remains one of the most timeless choices for a red carpet, but Shayk demonstrated how the classic colour can still feel fresh when combined with bold design details.
Known for her fearless approach to fashion, she once again struck the perfect balance between sophistication and edge.
Her Venice appearance was a reminder that great red-carpet style doesn’t always have to follow tradition—sometimes the most memorable looks are the ones willing to challenge it.
Kendall Jenner looks to the Armani archives
Kendall Jenner brought fashion history to the Venice red carpet with a spectacular archival Giorgio Armani look.
The supermodel appeared in a shimmering gold floral sequin dress from Giorgio Armani’s autumn/winter 1995 collection, giving a remarkable vintage design a new moment in the spotlight.
The gown was covered in intricate embellishment that reflected the light beautifully, creating an effect perfectly suited to Venice’s cinematic atmosphere. Its gold tones and floral details gave the design an unmistakable sense of luxury while maintaining the character of the original piece.
Archival fashion has become one of the most exciting elements of contemporary celebrity style. By revisiting designs from the past, celebrities can introduce iconic creations to a new audience while celebrating the legacy of influential designers.
Jenner’s choice accomplished exactly that.
The Armani gown was more than a beautiful vintage piece—it represented a connection between different generations of fashion.
And Venice was the perfect place for such a moment. A city shaped by history, art and culture, it provided the ideal backdrop for a look that celebrated fashion’s past while still feeling completely relevant today.
Mariacarla Boscono turns Chanel into a statement
Mariacarla Boscono delivered one of the festival’s boldest fashion moments in a dramatic Chanel Cruise 2027 ballgown covered in French newspaper headlines.
The striking design immediately captured attention, transforming printed typography into a spectacular couture-inspired statement.
From the elongated silhouette to the newspaper-inspired pattern, every element of the gown was designed to make an impression. While the concept recalled some of fashion’s most famous newspaper-print creations, Chanel gave the idea a distinctive and theatrical interpretation.
The result was playful, dramatic and impossible to ignore.
There was also a certain irony in the moment: Boscono was wearing the headlines while simultaneously becoming one herself.
Her appearance was precisely the kind of fashion moment that extends far beyond the red carpet, continuing through photographs, social media and conversations across the fashion industry.
The Chanel gown perfectly captured the unique atmosphere of Venice Film Festival fashion. The event encourages experimentation and allows celebrities to embrace a level of drama that might feel out of place on other red carpets.
Against Venice’s historic architecture, cinematic atmosphere and unmistakable glamour, fashion can become something bigger than clothing.
And Boscono’s Chanel moment was exactly that—a bold visual statement and one of the red carpet’s defining looks of Venice Film Festival 2026.