Style·Photos

10 red carpet fashion highlights from the Venice International Film Festival

Our top looks, spotted on Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga, Taylor Russell and more.

Our top looks, spotted on Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga, Taylor Russell and more

3 side-by-side images of Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga and Taylor Russell on the red carpet.
Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga and Taylor Russell attend the 81st Venice International Film Festival. (Getty Images)

The 81st Venice International Film Festival, which started on Aug. 28 and wrapped up on Sept. 7, was a key stop on the fall film festival circuit.

Over a week and a half, some of Hollywood's biggest stars — including Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt — converged on the Lido di Venezia to promote their upcoming films and projects.

There were countless canal-side photocalls and glamorous premieres, and plenty of high-wattage fashion moments. These were some of the best red carpet looks from the 2024 Venice International Film Festival.

Taylor Russell

Taylor Russell on the red carpet wearing a white bubble skirt and cropped top combination.
Taylor Russell attended the The Room Next Door red carpet in a custom Alaïa look. (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

The Canadian actor and model looked stellar throughout the festival, but it was her custom white Alaïa look for the premiere of The Room Next Door that was a favourite. Styled by Jahleel Weaver, who also dressed Russell in Chanel Haute Couture for the festival's opening night, the sleek look featured an on-trend yet unexpected bubble skirt and cropped top combination.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie on the red carpet wearing an asymmetrical champagne-coloured chiffon gown with an off-the-shoulder, faux-fur stole.
Angelina Jolie wore a gown by London-based designer Tamara Ralph. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

On the Maria red carpet, Jolie looked like a true movie star in a custom asymmetrical chiffon gown by London-based designer Tamara Ralph. An off-the-shoulder faux-fur stole and bold red lips were the perfect finishing touches to this timeless ensemble.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga on the red carpet wearing a voluminous black gown with a pointy sculptural hat.
Lady Gaga wore a statement hat by British milliner Philip Treacy to the Joker: Folie à Deux premiere. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Lady Gaga is known for her high-drama red carpet looks, and she didn't disappoint at the Joker: Folie à Deux premiere, wearing a voluminous black Dior dress, Tiffany & Co. jewelry and a statement hat by British milliner Philip Treacy. She walked the carpet with her fiancé, Michael Polansky.

Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore on the red carpet wearing a fitted gold sequin dress.
Julianne Moore shone in a gold gown. (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

A lot can go wrong with a fitted gold sequin dress, but the fit of this Bottega Veneta gown was perfection, and the shade of gold worked well with Moore's fair colouring. Paired with oversized, modern earrings and a centre-parted low ponytail, it made an effortless impression at the premiere of The Room Next Door.

Cate Blanchett 

Cate Blanchett on the red carpet wearing a long white gown with white sunglasses.
Cate Blanchett's white sunglasses matched her Louis Vuitton gown. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Sunglasses were a popular red carpet accessory in Venice. Here, Blanchett is wearing a gown by Louis Vuitton with matching white sunnies for the Disclaimer red carpet, styled by her go-to stylist, Elizabeth Stewart.

Thalissa Teixeira

Thalissa Teixeira on the red carpet wearing a light pink gown over light green pants.
Thalissa Teixeira wore an elegant dress-over-pants look. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

There was something elegant and decidedly unfussy about the British-Brazilian actor's dress-over-pants look. Teixeira held up the hem of her strapless pink gown on the red carpet for Harvest, and while it's hard to tell if this was unintentional or by design, the effect was charming and added something unexpected to the shape of the hemline.

Tilda Swinton

Tilda Swinton on the red carpet wearing a white tailored dress styled with bright blue heels.
Tilda Swinton in a dress from a recent Alaïa collection by designer Pieter Mulier. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Swinton made several red carpet appearances in Venice, but it was her look for the Queer premiere that stood out as the most striking and modern. The tailored white dress — styled with bright blue heels, slicked-back hair and an eye-catching red lip — is from a recent Alaïa collection by designer Pieter Mulier.

Sophie Wilde

Sophie Wilde on the red carpet wearing a strapless black gown and a black sheer fabric face covering her eyes.
Sophie Wilde in custom Jonathan Anderson at Loewe and archival Cartier jewelry. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

On the Babygirl red carpet, the Australian actor sported a custom strapless dress by Jonathan Anderson at Loewe and archival Cartier jewelry. A sheer fabric face covering added a dash of drama, complementing the gown's boldly draped back and train.

Kasia Smutniak

Kasia Smutniak on the red carpet wearing a jumpsuit that looks like a vest and pants, and a beaded, wig-like headpiece.
Kasia Smutniak wore a Giorgio Armani jumpsuit. (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

The Polish-Italian actor wore two great all-black ensembles at the festival. This Giorgio Armani look, featuring a jumpsuit that resembles a vest and pants, was worn for the premiere of The Room Next Door. A beaded, wig-like headpiece added just the right amount of shimmer.

Stacy Martin

Stacy Martin on the red carpet wearing a ballgown with a low drop waist.
Stacy Martin wore a Louis Vuitton ballgown by Nicolas Ghesquière. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

A full-on ballgown can come off as overly formal on the red carpet, but Martin's Martin's Louis Vuitton look at the premiere of The Brutalist avoided that fate thanks to its unexpected colour, drop waist and minimal accessorizing by stylist Rebecca Corbin-Murray. It was still high-impact but felt fresh and contemporary.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Truc Nguyen is a Toronto-based writer, editor and stylist. Follow her at @trucnguyen.

Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

From life's little projects to its big questions; the latest in food, style, relationships, work and money, home, wellness, pets and travel delivered directly to your inbox each week.

...

The next issue of CBC Life Newsletter will soon be in your inbox.

Discover all CBC newsletters in the Subscription Centre.opens new window

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Google Terms of Service apply.