Is it 1924 or 2024? Some of the outfits gracing the red carpet at the 81st Venice Film Festival seem to blur the lines between past and present. Since Wednesday, attendees have been embracing the elegance of old Hollywood glamour, showcasing classic dress silhouettes and vintage-inspired accessories.
At the premiere of Pablo Larraín’s “Maria”—a biopic about the dramatic life of 20th-century soprano Maria Callas—Angelina Jolie appeared to embody her on-screen character. Wearing a nude custom gown by Tamara Ralph, Jolie completed her look with a 1930s-style faux fur shrug, a gold rose-shaped brooch, and striking deep red lipstick. Jolie’s ensemble closely mirrored the shrugs famously worn by icons like Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford, and Greta Garbo. However, Tamara Ralph’s modern take on the vintage piece brings it into the present day. Jolie wasn’t the only one channeling classic starlets at the “Maria” screening. Taylor Russell glided across the carpet in a pale yellow silk crepon dress, complete with a matching scarf that trailed behind her. Designed by Loewe, the gown featured a distinct 1930s vibe, evoking memories of Marilyn Monroe’s fiery bejeweled gown with an orange chiffon scarf in the 1953 film “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Coco Chanel, too, featured this style in her Spring-Summer 1930 collection, where she topped silk crepe dresses with elegantly draped scarves.
Isabelle Huppert, the festival’s jury president, fast-forwarded a few decades for her appearance at the “Beetlejuice” premiere. According to British Vogue, her “pope red” opera coat drew inspiration from the 1950s theatergoers. Lifted from Balenciaga’s 50th couture collection, designed in 2021, Huppert paired the coat with white elbow-length gloves and layered Cartier bracelets on each wrist.
Chilean actor Mariana di Girolamo also paid homage to vintage fashion with her Venice Film Festival look. She wore a black embellished Chanel cape dress to the screening of “El Jockey,” showcasing Chanel’s legacy of crafting dramatic evening capes for nearly a century. Di Girolamo’s outfit, adorned with embroidered beads and sequins, managed to be both glamorous and subtly sophisticated.
The takeaway is clear and relevant to both fashion and film: Sometimes, old truly is gold.
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