The Venice Film Festival Is Back—and So Is Its Unrivaled Red Carpet Fashion

After a summer break, the Awards Season resumed on September 2, when the 2026 Venice Film Festival brought Hollywood's most high-profile fashion people back to the red carpet. From now until September 12, celebrities on the Lido di Venezia will set the highest style standards for remaining events like the Emmy Awards and VMAs.

Unlike at the Cannes Film Festival, known for its new "no nudity" dress code, actors are safe to experiment with their style in Venice—as long as it falls under the "formal" category. That's not to say the red carpet transformed into a naked dress convention on day one. So far, Phoebe Bridgers has been one of the only attendees to show some skin on the red carpet.

This year, opacity by way of statement patterns or shades is the leading pre-premiere style trend. Kendall Jenner's Giorgio Armani gown traded sheer panels for metallic embroidery; Bhavitha Mandava's Chanel creation shone with mermaid tail-type sequins; and Nicola Peltz Beckham's cobalt Balenciaga ballgown limited its cut-outs to just her waistline.

Now, the 2026 Venice Film Festival is in full swing, with red carpet returns from Dakota Johnson, Penélope Cruz, and more still to come. While you wait for Johnson's first Venice Film Festival outfit in five years, appreciate Marie Claire's collection of the best celebrity looks so far.

Pamela Anderson wearing Carolina Herrera

On Sept. 9, Pamela Anderson attended the Place to Be premiere in a seven-year-old yellow Carolina Herrera gown. The off-the-shoulder style was sculpted from liquid-looking lemon satin, which matched the actor's ball-of-sunshine persona.

Penélope Cruz wearing Chanel

Penélope Cruz brought the heat to the premiere of Bunker in a custom seamless slip dress by Chanel, complete with fuzzy 3-D florals along the waistline, a thigh-high slit, and matching pointy pumps.

Phoebe Bridgers wearing McQueen

Phoebe Bridgers finally ended the no-naked-dress series at the Primetime premiere, wearing an underwear-revealing, goth-glam gown from McQueen. Every design element—including the puff sleeves, bustier bodice, and lace-trimmed skirt—remained transparent, as seen on the Fall 2026 runway.

Suki Waterhouse wearing Saint Laurent

Suki Waterhouse supported her boyfriend, Robert Pattinson, at the Primetime premiere, but not before stealing the show. She wore a matching skirt set from Saint Laurent's Pre-Fall 2026 collection, made entirely of muted mint green lace.

Nicola Peltz Beckham wearing Balenciaga

Before receiving the festival's Rising Star Award, Nicola Peltz Beckham debuted a Balenciaga Fall 2026 Couture gown worthy of its own trophy. The dress's chiffon cascaded delicately from her ponytail, beyond the pleated torso and dropped waistline, and onto an elongated carpet-covering train. Letting the dress do all the talking, the actor kept her accessories to a minimum.

Bhavitha Mandava wearing Chanel

At the Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People? screening, the brand ambassador and Matthieu Blazy muse, Bhavitha Mandava, represented the house of Chanel in a Cruise 2027 gown fresh from a mermaid's grotto. The scale-like paillettes decorated every square inch of the ruffled design.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge wearing Celine

Marie Claire editors are still waxing poetic about Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Celine look on night two of the Venice Film Festival, especially its cinematic cape blouse.

Kendall Jenner wearing Giorgio Armani

Kendall Jenner waited until day two of the 2026 Venice Film Festival to make her debut. Her red carpet look at the Wild Horse Nine premiere was worth the wait. The supermodel stepped outside of her minimalist comfort zone in a stiletto-revealing slip dress from Giorgio Armani, its column silhouette shining in gold floral embroidery.

Vittoria Ceretti wearing Armani Privé

Picking up where guests at the 2026 Met Gala left off, with their experimental takes on the naked dress trend, Vittoria Ceretti turned heads in a part-opaque Armani Privé gown.

Mariacarla Boscono wearing Chanel

Carrie Bradshaw's Dior newspaper dress walked so Mariacarla Boscono's Chanel Cruise 2027 ballgown could run—and steal the show at the Venice Film Festival. French headlines covered every corner of the elongated look, a moment that deserves to be above the fold.

Leslie Bibb wearing ArdAzAei

The French boutique ArdAzAei splashed cobalt blue flowers onto Leslie Bibb's otherwise black gown from the brand's Fall 2026 Couture collection.

Parker Posey wearing Valentino

Parker Posey brought the drama to the Venice Film Festival in an ivory look from Valentino Resort 2027, featuring a plunge slip dress beneath a collared cape.

Amal Clooney wearing Tom Ford

Amal and George Clooney haven't missed the Venice Film Festival in three years, each time raising the fashion stakes for themselves. On Sept. 2, Amal coordinated her ruched Tom Ford dress with her husband's tuxedo. Don't miss the splash of emerald green on her Cartier earrings.

Brittany Snow wearing Giorgio Armani

Newcomer Brittany Snow proved she's a red carpet regular to watch at her first Venice Film Festival. The Hunting Wives actor turned heads in a black halterneck gown by Giorgio Armani, its plunge neckline adorned with rhinestones. Since the glittery trim doubled as a necklace, she accessorized with diamond stud earrings and statement rings, courtesy of Cartier, instead.

Laura Dern wearing Prada

Instead of boarding the black dress bandwagon, Laura Dern stood out in a pastel pink Prada dress, featuring elegant cap sleeves and a tea-length skirt. The pink gemstones on her diamond Cartier necklace were a few shades darker, bordering on fuchsia.

Rebecca Donaldson and Carlos Sainz

Spanish F1 driver Carlos Sainz joined his girlfriend, Rebecca Donaldson, at the Ink premiere on Sept. 2. While Sainz wore a black-and-white suit by Giorgio Armani, I have not identified the designer behind Donaldson's liquid-looking sequin dress. Her necklace, however, was from Bulgari's storied Serpenti collection.

Stella Maxwell

Belgian model Stella Maxwell held herself back in the naked dressing department at the Ink premiere, choosing a turtleneck gown with a semi-sheer balconette bust and an otherwise opaque skirt.

Maggie Gyllenhaal wearing Celine

While Maggie Gyllenhaal posed for photographers, the focus shifted from her Bulgari necklace and satin Celine gown to her stiletto-less soles. The Bride director styled the same footwear trend that she arrived in: jazz shoes.

Chase Sui Wonders wearing Giorgio Armani

Chase Sui Wonders was the picture of elegance at the Venice Film Festival, wearing a column dress with back cut-outs by Giorgio Armani. She traded traditional pendant necklaces for a diamond Tiffany Co. brooch pinned to her silk choker.

Claire Foy wearing Bottega Veneta

Claire Foy's custom Bottega Veneta gown followed a familiar column silhouette, except its satin was a striking shade of tomato red (a Marie Claire-approved color trend for fall). The Crown actor's leather opera gloves were more burgundy, which added a nice tonal touch.

Nina Dobrev wearing archival Armani Privé

If this film festival is anything like last year's, Nina Dobrev will be the first of many A-listers to source designer archives. Armani Privé loaned her a strapless black ombré gown, which stood out for the mossy green train that cascaded from her waist to the red carpet.