The Most Daring Outfits from the Venice Film Festival: Elephant Boots, Pamela as a Canary, and Malkovich with a Fairy-Tale Collar
The red carpet of the Venice Film Festival is one of the places where fashion imagination knows almost no bounds. This year, beauties walked along it in perfectly fitting gowns, but also personalities who preferred extravagance over classic elegance. And it is precisely this that sometimes turned out better, other times somewhat awkwardly. Who deserves an A and who should better replace their stylist next time?
Móda proti proudu
Názor PROTI PROUDU: Denisa Zajíčková
Vittoria Ceretti: Daring, Yet Still Elegant
Italian model Vittoria Ceretti (28) knows well what she can pull off. For the premiere of the film Wild Horse Nine, she wore a black Giorgio Armani Privé gown that combined a velvet skirt with a sheer bodice adorned with small stones. Although the top revealed quite a lot, the design didn't look cheap or obvious. The dress was custom-made for Ceretti and undoubtedly belonged among the most beautiful pieces Venice has seen this year.
The perfect execution was helped by the fact that everything else remained simple. No necklace competing with the sparkling bodice, no extravagant hairstyle and no unnecessary decorations. Smooth hair draped over one shoulder and delicate earrings let the dress itself stand out. Ceretti showed that even so-called naked dresses can look refined. You just need to know where to stop. Nevertheless, she was missing "something" on the red carpet. Many didn't miss the fact that she arrived without her partner Leonardo DiCaprio (51). Given that there has been recent talk about their alleged relationship crisis, her Venetian solitude only fueled the speculation. But how things really are between them, only the two of them know for now.
Pamela Anderson: She Shone Like the Venice Sun
Actress Pamela Anderson (59) prepared a big surprise for Venice. She arrived at the screening of the film Place to Be in a yellow Carolina Herrera gown from the spring/summer 2019 collection. The bold color, bare shoulders, long balloon sleeves, and several-meter train could seem excessive on another woman. However, Pamela carried the dress with complete ease. It's also impossible not to notice that since she started appearing in public without makeup, she wears increasingly bold colors. And they suit her very well. The vibrant yellow shade once again beautifully stood out against her light hair while making her glow. The gown had a simple base, so she could afford the dramatic sleeves and long train. The result was also enhanced by Pandora diamond jewelry; the actress reportedly wore a total of 48 carats. She completed the look with a necklace, earrings, and rings featuring lab-created diamonds.
The only disruptive detail was the white tips of shoes peeking out from under the dress. Otherwise, Pamela presented one of her best looks in recent times. She was striking, festive and feminine, without trying to look several decades younger. Naturalness will probably suit her far more than the years when she appeared as a sex symbol.
Claire Foy: Gloves Took Command
The red Bottega Veneta dress that British actress Claire Foy (42) wore to the festival opening and screening of the film Ink had great potential. The simple column cut suited her, the bold red color brightened her fair complexion, and the deeper neckline still remained tasteful. The problem came with the accessories. At the waist, the fabric twisted into a massive knot, which looked unnecessarily heavy on the otherwise clean dress. However, the greatest attention was captured by the long leather gloves in a darker shade of red. The custom Bottega Veneta piece was complemented by Swarovski jewelry.
The gloves were supposed to add a touch of elegance to the outfit, but instead they visually cut off the actress halfway up her arms and pushed the entire creation too close to a costume. Without them, it would have been a timeless gown. As it was, one noticed the gloves first, then the knot, and only finally Claire herself. Moreover, the gloves and dress appear to be different shades, which is initially distracting.
Názor PROTI PROUDU: Anděla Vostrá
John Malkovich: Lost from the Royal Court
Actor John Malkovich (72) has never been a man who would simply put on a black tuxedo and white shirt for a gala evening. In Venice, however, he took his penchant for unusual fashion even further. He arrived at the film premiere in a black wool Dior suit, under which he wore a cream silk shirt with a huge ruffled collar. The design was from the Dior Men Fall 2026 collection.
It was precisely the collar that became the main star of the entire evening. It resembled an Elizabethan ruff, a theatrical costume, and a napkin tucked behind the neck before a particularly hearty dinner. Next to an ordinary black suit, it seemed a bit lonely, as if Malkovich had put on the upper half of a historical costume and there was no time left for the rest. However, it must be admitted that he is precisely the one who can wear such a fashion extravagance with a serious face and absolute confidence. If he had added a more distinctive brocade jacket or at least a decorative brooch to the shirt, the whole idea could have seemed more thought-out. In this form, however, the eyes of all those present stopped at his neck.
Mariana Di Girolamo: A Bride After a Fashion Reconstruction
In the group of actors from the film Wild Horse Nine, actress Mariana Di Girolamo (35) was also hard to overlook. The Chilean actress chose a white design that combined an off-the-shoulder satin top, a prominent trouser waistband, and a lace skirt with delicate floral appliqués. Each part seemed as if it originally belonged to a different garment. The upper part resembled a luxurious shawl wrapped around the chest, the waist part formal trousers, and the lower part a romantic wedding skirt. The result was interesting, but it didn't particularly flatter the actress's figure. The waistline visually widened her and the heavy lower part weighed the entire design down to the ground.
Next to her stood actress Ailín Salas (33) in a black Chloé dress with cutouts and an abundance of ruffles. No shortage of ideas here either. Salas actually wore a design from the Chloé Fall 2026 collection. Together in the frame, they created a colorful fashion show, with lace, cutouts, ruffles competing with each other, and of course Malkovich's incomparable collar.
Michèle Lamy: Fashion or Stage Costume?
Businesswoman, fashion icon and wife of designer Rick Owens Michèle Lamy (82) never walks the red carpet to blend in with the crowd. At the screening of the film Be Brave, she appeared wrapped in a gray furry creation that almost completely concealed her figure. She added a scarf wrapped around her head, numerous rings, and tall gathered boots with transparent heels. The outfit resembled a mixture of avant-garde fashion, an art object, and the costume of a mysterious mountain dweller. The individual elements were color-coordinated, yet there were too many of them. The massive furry layer created a shapeless silhouette and, combined with the heavy boots, seemed somewhat out of place on the Venice red carpet.
With Lama, however, it's difficult to judge clothing by the same standards as Hollywood actresses. Eccentricity is part of her personality and a staid evening gown would probably look much stranger on her. It wasn't elegant, but it certainly can't be forgotten. Foreign fashion critics also compared her shoes to "elephant" ones, which probably didn't please her much.
