Once again, Venice has become the epicentre of cinema, celebrity and high fashion. Every year, actors, models and some of the entertainment world’s most recognisable names arrive in the floating city for one of the most prestigious events on the international film calendar—and the red carpet is an essential part of the occasion.
While the Venice Film Festival is fundamentally a celebration of cinema, its fashion has developed into a spectacle all its own. Between major premieres, glamorous arrivals, standing ovations and star-filled evenings, the festival offers celebrities one of the world’s most captivating stages on which to make a style statement.
And the 2026 edition has already delivered plenty worth talking about.
From custom couture and archival treasures to bold colours and dramatic silhouettes, this year’s red carpet has offered an impressive display of fashion at its most expressive. Against Venice’s unmistakably cinematic setting, the stars have embraced glamour in all its forms.
The city itself only adds to the magic. Water taxis glide across the lagoon, historic palazzos provide a spectacular backdrop and the Palazzo del Cinema becomes the centre of attention for both film lovers and fashion enthusiasts.
So far, Pamela Anderson, Vittoria Ceretti, Irina Shayk, Kendall Jenner and Mariacarla Boscono have delivered some of the festival’s most memorable appearances. Together, their looks have brought everything from vibrant colour and Italian couture to contemporary edge, archival glamour and theatrical fashion to the Venice red carpet.
With more premieres still ahead, there are certainly more unforgettable moments waiting to happen. But these are the looks that have already captured the spotlight at Venice Film Festival 2026.
Pamela Anderson brings vibrant glamour to Venice
Pamela Anderson proved the power of a striking colour choice during her appearance at the AmfAR Gala in Venice.
The actress arrived in a vibrant orange satin gown, styled with a matching shawl that added an elegant finishing touch. Amid the familiar red-carpet palette of black, white and metallic tones, the rich orange shade immediately made an impression.
The look also reflected Anderson’s increasingly sophisticated approach to fashion. In recent years, she has embraced a more effortless version of glamour, favouring beautiful fabrics, clean lines and understated styling over excessive embellishment.
Her Venice appearance perfectly captured that evolution.
The satin caught the light beautifully, creating a luminous effect, while the simplicity of the silhouette allowed the colour to remain the undeniable focal point.
The result was polished, confident and refreshingly bold—a reminder that one extraordinary colour can sometimes make a more powerful statement than the most elaborate couture creation.
Vittoria Ceretti showcases timeless Italian glamour
Vittoria Ceretti brought effortless sophistication to Venice in a custom Armani Privé gown.
As one of the defining models of her generation, Ceretti has become synonymous with contemporary high fashion. She possesses a rare ability to wear even the most intricate creations with complete ease, making every appearance feel natural rather than overly styled.
Her custom Armani Privé design was a perfect reflection of that quality.
Combining exceptional craftsmanship with refined elegance, the gown embodied the sophisticated aesthetic that has long defined the Italian fashion house.
There was also something particularly fitting about the setting: an Italian supermodel wearing Italian couture in one of the country’s most iconic cities.
Ceretti kept the attention firmly on the design itself, allowing the craftsmanship, silhouette and construction of the gown to speak for themselves. The result was glamorous without feeling excessive and sophisticated without sacrificing impact.
Among the many memorable appearances throughout the festival, her Armani Privé moment stood out as a beautiful expression of modern Italian elegance.
Irina Shayk adds a contemporary edge
Irina Shayk took a darker approach to Venice red-carpet glamour for The Echo Chamber screening.
The model arrived in a fitted black dress featuring striking lace-up detailing, bringing a sharper and more contemporary energy to the occasion.
Rather than embracing the flowing gowns and romantic silhouettes traditionally associated with Venice, Shayk opted for a more structured and daring look. The fitted design created a powerful silhouette, while the lace-up elements added an unexpected sense of attitude.
The result was sleek, sensual and unmistakably modern.
Black may be one of the most enduring colours in red-carpet fashion, but Shayk demonstrated how timeless dressing can still feel exciting when paired with bold details and a strong silhouette.
Known for her fearless approach to style, she once again balanced classic sophistication with contemporary edge.
Her Venice appearance was proof that memorable fashion does not always come from following convention. Sometimes, the strongest looks are the ones that reinterpret tradition entirely.
Kendall Jenner brings fashion history back to Venice
Kendall Jenner delivered one of the festival’s most exciting archival fashion moments in a spectacular Giorgio Armani design.
The supermodel appeared in a shimmering gold floral sequin dress from Giorgio Armani’s autumn/winter 1995 collection, giving the vintage creation a new moment in the spotlight.
Covered in intricate embellishment, the gown reflected the light beautifully and created an effect perfectly suited to Venice’s glamorous, cinematic surroundings. The combination of gold tones and delicate floral motifs gave the design a luxurious presence while preserving the distinctive character of the original piece.
Archival fashion has become an increasingly important element of celebrity dressing, allowing stars to revisit iconic moments while introducing influential designs to a new generation.
Jenner’s choice achieved exactly that.
More than simply a beautiful vintage gown, the Armani design created a connection between fashion’s past and present.
And Venice was the perfect place for it. With its rich artistic heritage and enduring association with glamour, the city provided an ideal backdrop for a look that celebrated fashion history while remaining completely relevant today.
Mariacarla Boscono makes Chanel impossible to ignore
Mariacarla Boscono delivered one of the boldest fashion moments of Venice Film Festival 2026 in a dramatic Chanel Cruise 2027 ballgown.
Covered in French newspaper headlines, the striking design immediately became one of the festival’s most talked-about appearances.
The elongated silhouette transformed typography into fashion, with printed headlines creating a powerful visual statement across the gown. While the concept recalled some of fashion’s most iconic newspaper-print moments, Chanel brought its own distinctive sense of theatricality to the idea.
The result was playful, dramatic and impossible to miss.
There was also something wonderfully fitting about the moment: Boscono was wearing the headlines while becoming one herself.
Her appearance was exactly the kind of fashion moment designed to extend far beyond the red carpet, generating conversation through photographs, social media and the wider fashion industry.
The Chanel gown captured everything that makes Venice such a remarkable destination for celebrity style. The festival encourages experimentation, embraces drama and provides a setting where fashion can become part of the performance.
Against Venice’s historic architecture and cinematic atmosphere, clothing becomes something more than just clothing—it becomes spectacle.
And Boscono embraced that idea completely.
Her Chanel look was not simply a beautiful red-carpet gown. It was a statement, a visual performance and one of the standout fashion moments of Venice Film Festival 2026.
