‘Vintage Vampire Chic’ Was The Theme At This Year’s Venice Film Festival
With Halloween just around the corner (in our overly eager eyes, anyway) this year’s Venice Film Festival red carpet was definitely a treat.
With appearances from Penelope Cruz, Cynthia Erivo, Dame Helen Mirren, and Chloé Zhao, the star-studded return of red carpet fashion has not bothered to try and ease observers in at all. Instead, the event — which will see the premiere of films like Spencer — threw us right into the deep end with otherworldly couture gowns and dramatic beauty looks to remind us of what we’ve been missing.
Despite not having an official theme (unlike, say, the Met Gala) there was an undeniable motif at the Venice Film Festival: vampirish fashion and beauty.
From structured bodices and voluminous black numbers to wine-stained lips and the smokiest of eyes, attendees took a leaf off 2020’s ‘vampirecore’ trend, made popular by brands like The Vampire’s Wife and Givenchy, channelling Victorian-era Gothic style in both their outfits and beauty.
The result was a spectacle of bold, ethereal designs and enchanting makeup that we’ll no doubt be replicating at home ASAP. These looks, mostly courtesy of Giorgio Armani, are a welcome revival of the sartorial formality and glamour we’ve been craving in lockdowns.
Click through for our favourite red carpet moments from the 2021 Venice Film Festival.
Lady Eliza Spencer and Lady Amelia Spencer, both relatives of Diana, Princess of Wales, nailed the Vampire chic memo with royal decree.Getty Images/ Pascal Le SagratainPenelope Cruz took our breath away, looking every bit the Gothic princess in this gown from the Chanel F/W ’21/’22 haute couture collection. Getty Images / Steffania D’AlessandroFrench actress Isabelle Huppert merged old-school Hollywood with a splash of Gothic-bohemian chic in this vintage Armani Privé gown from the house’s Fall 2005 Couture collection.Getty Images / Daniele VenturelliBarbara Palvin also opted for Armani Privé, cutting an ultra-chic figure in this structured black strapless number from the Fall 2018 Couture collection.Getty Images / Daniele VenturelliMulti-hyphenate icon Cynthia Ervio brought sexy back with this dazzling cut-out Versace dress, complete with a hip-high split that showed off her thigh tattoos.
What really caught our eyes, though? The bold smokey eye that gave this old Hollywood glamour look a vampiric twist.Getty Images / Stefania D’Alessandro
Nomadland director Chloé Zhao looked simply elegant in this balloon-sleeved floral gown, reminiscent of the Southern Gothic trend.Getty ImagesMariacarla Boscono dipped into the archives of Jean Paul Gaultier for the occasion, oozing vampire chic in this textured gown from the Fall 2016 Couture collection, and Cartier jewels.Getty ImagesDame Helen Mirren has mastered red carpet dressing, but this Dolce & Gabbana number is a stunning departure from her usual choices of embroidery and tulle.
But what we really want to sink our teeth into? Her charcoal eyeshadow that injects just the right amount of edginess into this look.Getty Images
The sheer volume of this dress, donned by Bianca Balti, screams Victorian royalty and we’re here for it. Getty ImagesThe gorgeous Madisin Rian, who is the face of Armani Beauty, looked like vintage heaven in this embroidered-bodice gown. Getty ImagesVictoria’s Secret model Sara Sampaio rocked velvet and jewels like a pro, putting an edgy twist on the halter dress with this look by Armani Privé.Getty ImagesItalian actress Greta Ferro is usually the envy of most with her effortlessly chic locks, but it was her black and midnight blue Armani dress that stole the show — paired beautifully with the perfect swab of red lipstick.Getty Images
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