The 83rd edition opened with the most Venice image available: George and Amal Clooney crossing the lagoon in a water taxi, his hand on the rail, her hair going sideways, spray coming off the hull. A fittingly cinematic arrival for a man collecting the honorary Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at 65.
Ellen Burstyn took the same honour at 93, and did it while appearing in two films at the same festival, Kornél Mundruczó’s Place to Be and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Marilyn Monroe biopic Flesh Impact.
Ellen Burstyn on the carpet. Credit JB Lacroix
Why the Venice Carpet Matters More Than It Used To
Last year this festival gave the first public sight of the new eras at Chanel, Dior, Versace and Bottega Veneta, weeks ahead of their runway debuts. Designers now use the Lido as a soft launch.
It also holds two of the most replayed red carpet moments of the past decade, Lady Gaga’s feathered Valentino couture in 2018 and Zendaya’s wet-look Balmain in 2021.
So the clothes carry weight here in a way they do not everywhere.
Tom Ford Under Haider Ackermann Made Two Strong Appearances
Patrick Schwarzenegger wore Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann, one of the clearer statements of the new direction at the house.
Patrick Schwarzenegger. Credit Alessandro Levati
Ricky Martin also arrived in Tom Ford, and between the two of them the house had a better festival than most.
Ricky Martin in Tom Ford. Credit Vittorio Zunino Celotto
Maggie Gyllenhaal Dressed Like the Jury President She Is
Chairing the international jury means turning up more or less daily, and Gyllenhaal has treated that as a wardrobe problem rather than a series of one-offs.
Saint Laurent for the evening carpet, Sandro for daytime tailoring. Consistent, unfussy, and a long way from the couture-per-appearance approach.
Maggie Gyllenhaal in Saint Laurent. Credit Jacopo Raule
Maggie Gyllenhaal in Sandro. Credit Victor Boyko
Pattinson and Waterhouse Took Opposite Routes
The engaged pair walked the Primetime carpet on 5 September, and the contrast was the whole point.
Pattinson in a custom white Dior pinstripe suit, white shirt, navy and red striped tie, brown loafers. Suki Waterhouse in sheer gold embellished Saint Laurent from the pre-fall 2026 collection, silky pink cuffs, sheer tights, curved-heel pumps, sunglasses kept on.
Nothing about the two looks agreed with each other, which is why it worked.
The Couples Did Well Generally
Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem are in Venice for Florian Zeller’s marital drama Bunker, and arrived hand in hand.
Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz. Credit JB Lacroix
Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander also came as a pair, in matching formal register rather than contrast.
Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. Credit Stephane Cardinale, Corbis.
Michèle Lamy in Rick Owens Was the Most Venice Thing All Week
Nobody else was going to attempt it and nobody else needed to.
Michèle Lamy in Rick Owens. Credit Jacopo Raule
Irina Shayk in Dolce & Gabbana and Alba Rohrwacher handled the more classical end of the carpet, and Pamela Anderson appeared repeatedly across the run, in tailoring one night and full gown the next.
Irina Shayk in Dolce & Gabbana. Credit Dominique Charriau
Pamela Anderson in tailoring. Credit Jacopo Raule
Elsewhere John Malkovich wore Hodakova and Bode for Wild Horse Nine, and Mariacarla Boscono arrived in Chanel describing herself as a Matthieu Blazy princess. Taika Waititi kept it plain for Place to Be.
Taika Waititi. Credit Aurore Marechal
Still to Come
Dakota Johnson, Claire Foy, Susan Sarandon, Jack O’Connell, Orlando Bloom, Stephen Graham, Parker Posey and Phoebe Bridgers all have carpets left.
Two sets of siblings as well, Kate and Rooney Mara, and Noel and Liam Gallagher, in Venice for the Oasis tour documentary. The odds of the Gallaghers doing anything a stylist recommended are slim, and a parka zipped to the chin on a vaporetto would be the more likely photograph.
The festival runs until 12 September.
About Kelly Trindade (Fashion Content Creator)
Kelly Trindade is a Fashion Content Creator and digital storyteller passionate about style, lifestyle, and authentic brand collaborations. She creates engaging fashion and lifestyle content that inspires confidence and creativity in everyday living. Through her work, Kelly Trindade connects with audiences by sharing relatable experiences, style inspiration, and trusted recommendations. Her passion for fashion and digital content continues to empower and inspire a global community.
