Bold colors and vintage gowns defined the 2026 Venice Film Festival red carpet
The red carpet at the 2026 Venice Film Festival showcased a striking mix of fashion, from classic black elegance to bold colors and vintage designer gowns. Stars including Amal Clooney, Kendall Jenner and Penélope Cruz drew particular attention.
Over two weeks on the Lido, the Venice Film Festival once again turned into a major fashion showcase, with Hollywood stars and internationally known actresses competing for attention with their outfit choices.
The festival opened memorably when human rights lawyer Amal Clooney wore a fitted Tom Ford gown to the evening honoring her husband George Clooney, who received the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement. Black remained a popular choice among other celebrities too — Rooney Mara, for instance, chose a Louis Vuitton dress with a voluminous, rounded skirt.
Bright colors and a vintage revival
One of the standout trends this year was bold color. Pamela Anderson drew attention in a lemon-yellow Carolina Herrera dress, while Claire Foy and Penélope Cruz both opted for saturated red, wearing Bottega Veneta and Chanel respectively.
Chanel's 2027 Cruise Collection designs by creative director Matthieu Blazy, already striking on the runway, shone even brighter on the Venice red carpet, modeled by Bhavita Mandava and Mariacarla Boscono.
Several celebrities also embraced vintage fashion. Model Kendall Jenner made her Venice Film Festival debut in a gold dress from Giorgio Armani's 1995 fall/winter collection. A bolder approach came from singer Phoebe Bridgers, who wore McQueen's so-called "naked dress" — unlike Cannes, Venice has no explicit ban on such revealing styles. Singer and actress Suki Waterhouse arrived in a lace Saint Laurent mini dress.
