Venice Film Festival 2026: The Style Moments Everyone Is Talking About
Venice has once again become the centre of the worlds of cinema, celebrity and fashion. Every year, actors, models and some of entertainment’s most influential names arrive in the floating city for one of the international film calendar’s most prestigious events—and with them comes an extraordinary display of red-carpet style.
Although film remains at the heart of the Venice Film Festival, fashion has become an essential part of its identity. Between major premieres, celebrated performances and unforgettable standing ovations, the red carpet has evolved into a spectacle of its own, where every arrival has the potential to become a defining fashion moment.
And 2026 is already proving to be no exception. This year’s festival has brought together an impressive mix of custom couture, archival treasures, bold colours and dramatic silhouettes. Against Venice’s breathtaking backdrop, celebrities have embraced the occasion with looks that feel every bit as cinematic as the films being celebrated.
There are few places in the world better suited to red-carpet glamour. Water taxis sweep through the lagoon, historic palazzos provide a dramatic setting and the Palazzo del Cinema becomes the stage for some of the year’s most closely watched fashion appearances.
So far, Pamela Anderson, Vittoria Ceretti, Irina Shayk, Kendall Jenner and Mariacarla Boscono have delivered some of the festival’s most memorable style moments, proving that the fashion outside the theatre can be just as captivating as what happens on screen.
With more premieres still ahead, there is plenty of opportunity for even more unforgettable looks to emerge. But already, Venice Film Festival 2026 has offered a striking combination of vibrant glamour, Italian craftsmanship, contemporary edge, archival fashion and statement-making couture.
These are the style moments that have stood out so far.
Pamela Anderson makes a statement in orange
Pamela Anderson showed the power of bold colour and effortless elegance during her appearance at the AmfAR Gala in Venice.
The actress stepped out in a striking orange satin gown, complemented by a matching shawl that brought an added sense of refinement to the look. Surrounded by the traditional palette of black, white and metallic eveningwear, the vibrant colour immediately set her apart.
The appearance also reflected Anderson’s evolving approach to red-carpet dressing. In recent years, she has embraced a more understated kind of glamour, favouring beautiful fabrics, clean silhouettes and a natural sense of confidence over excessive styling.
The satin fabric reflected the light beautifully, giving the gown a luminous quality, while its uncomplicated silhouette allowed the colour to remain the undeniable focal point.
Sophisticated yet impactful, the look was proof that sometimes the strongest red-carpet statement comes down to one exceptional colour and the confidence to wear it.
Vittoria Ceretti embodies Italian sophistication
Vittoria Ceretti brought unmistakable Italian elegance to the festival in a custom Armani Privé gown.
The supermodel, who has established herself as one of the most influential figures of her generation, has an effortless ability to make even the most elaborate fashion creations appear natural. Her Venice appearance was another example of that rare quality.
The custom Armani Privé design combined exquisite craftsmanship with timeless glamour, reflecting the refined aesthetic that has long been associated with the Italian fashion house.
The moment also felt particularly appropriate: an Italian supermodel wearing Italian couture in one of the country’s most iconic destinations.
Ceretti allowed the gown to speak for itself. Rather than relying on dramatic accessories or excessive styling, the impact came from the precision of the design, the quality of its craftsmanship and her effortless presence.
Among the many glamorous appearances of the festival, her Armani Privé look stood out as a celebration of sophisticated, contemporary Italian fashion.
Irina Shayk brings an edge to Venice glamour
Irina Shayk offered a darker interpretation of Venice red-carpet style at The Echo Chamber screening.
The model arrived in a fitted black dress featuring eye-catching lace-up detailing, bringing a sleek and contemporary energy to the occasion.
Instead of embracing the flowing silhouettes and romantic gowns often associated with Venice, Shayk opted for something sharper. The structured fit created a powerful silhouette, while the lace-up details introduced an element of attitude.
The result was sensual, polished and undeniably modern.
Black may be a timeless red-carpet favourite, but Shayk demonstrated that the classic colour can still feel exciting when paired with unexpected details and strong design.
Her look perfectly reflected her fearless approach to fashion. Over the years, Shayk has developed a reputation for balancing classic glamour with bold, fashion-forward choices, and her Venice appearance continued that tradition.
The strongest fashion moments often come from knowing when to embrace elegance and when to challenge expectations—and Shayk managed to do both.
Kendall Jenner celebrates fashion history in Armani
Kendall Jenner brought a touch of fashion history to Venice with one of the festival’s most striking archival looks.
The supermodel appeared in a shimmering gold floral sequin dress from Giorgio Armani’s autumn/winter 1995 collection, reviving a remarkable design from the Italian designer’s archive.
Covered in intricate embellishment, the gown caught the light from every direction, creating a glamorous and distinctly cinematic effect. The gold tones and floral motifs gave the piece a luxurious quality while preserving the unique character of the original design.
Archival fashion has become an increasingly important part of contemporary celebrity dressing, allowing stars to revisit influential moments from fashion history while introducing them to a new generation.
Jenner’s Armani choice did exactly that.
More than simply a beautiful vintage gown, the look created a connection between the past and present of fashion.
Venice was also the ideal setting for such a moment. The city exists at the crossroads of history, art and glamour, making Jenner’s archival choice feel particularly meaningful. Surrounded by new couture creations, she demonstrated that fashion’s past can still feel remarkably modern.
Mariacarla Boscono makes headlines in Chanel
Mariacarla Boscono delivered one of the most dramatic fashion moments of Venice Film Festival 2026 in an extraordinary Chanel Cruise 2027 ballgown.
Covered in French newspaper headlines, the elongated creation immediately became one of the festival’s most talked-about looks.
The design transformed typography into high fashion, using printed headlines across the entire gown to create a striking visual statement. While the concept recalled some of fashion’s most iconic newspaper-print designs, Chanel gave the idea its own distinctive and theatrical interpretation.
The result was bold, playful and impossible to overlook.
From every angle, the gown demanded attention. And there was something particularly appropriate about wearing the headlines while becoming one.
Boscono’s appearance was the kind of fashion moment destined to extend far beyond the red carpet, generating conversation through photographs, social media and the wider fashion industry.
The Chanel gown also captured what makes Venice such a special destination for celebrity style. The festival creates space for experimentation and encourages a sense of theatricality that might feel excessive elsewhere.
With its cinematic atmosphere, historic beauty and unmistakable glamour, Venice provides the perfect backdrop for fashion that feels larger than life.
And Boscono embraced that opportunity completely.
Her Chanel creation was more than a red-carpet gown—it was a fashion statement, a visual spectacle and one of the standout moments of the Venice Film Festival 2026.