As the Venice Film Festival 2025 comes to an end, it’s becoming clearer than ever that the red carpet on the Lido is no longer just a stage for cinema—it’s the new front cover of fashion. This year, two fashion moments in particular sent that message loud and clear: the debut of JW Anderson’s first couture look for Dior, and Dario Vitale’s sharp new chapter at Versace. Both designers used Venice not just to dress stars, but to tell a story—one where clothes move with narrative purpose, just like the films they support.
Dario Vitale for Versace: One Look, Two Stars
When Julia Roberts stepped out at the After the Hunt press conference in a clean-cut, minimalist black ensemble by Dario Vitale for Versace, the fashion world took note. The look was sleek, structured, and unmistakably modern—a nod to Roberts’ enduring screen presence and quiet authority.
But the real plot twist came when Amanda Seyfried—in Venice to promote The Testament of Ann Lee—appeared a day later wearing the exact same ensemble for her own photocall. Seyfried rewearing Roberts’ look comes after she asked to borrow the outfit via Instagram.
The two stars share stylist Elizabeth Stewart, and after Stewart posted a photo of Roberts in the look, Seyfried commented: “Please let me wear the same outfit.” Rather than sparking a faux pas, the moment was embraced as a charming and intentional styling echo—turning what might once have been considered a red carpet risk into a bold fashion statement about admiration, simplicity, and collaboration.
If anything, the move cemented Vitale’s Venice debut as more than just a red-carpet moment—it was a reminder that fashion’s best stories are rarely about exclusivity, but about impact.
JW Anderson’s Couture Turn at Dior
In another debut, JW Anderson unveiled his first couture design for Dior, worn by Alba Rohrwacher attending the premiere of Jay Kelly. She wore a navy blue silk crepe dress – calculated departure from Dior’s traditional codes, filtered through Anderson’s conceptual lens. And where did this couture debut happen? Not in Paris. Not even at a runway show. But in Venice, under flashbulbs, beside a canal, on the way into a film premiere.
From Magazines to Red Carpets: A New Kind of Fashion Media
The styling choices made at Venice this year point to a bigger shift: film festivals are becoming the new fashion editorials. In a media landscape where magazine covers are less influential and red carpet content spreads in real-time, designers are seizing the opportunity to debut work where it will be seen—and re-seen—by millions.
Rather than waiting for the September issue, brands are dressing stars in cinematic moments that double as lookbooks: Walking off a boat in custom tailoring, sitting at a press panel in directional suiting, staring down photographers in couture made for movement.
Where Fashion Meets Film, Literally
With star-stylist partnerships becoming more strategic and designers looking for cultural cachet beyond fashion week, it’s no surprise that film festivals like Venice are becoming fashion’s new runway.
This year, that runway included two designers—Dario Vitale and JW Anderson—using film as the setting for their next act. And as red carpet fashion continues to evolve from “who wore what” into who told the best story, one thing’s for sure:
The future of fashion isn’t just on the page or the catwalk. It’s on the carpet, under the lights, before the film even begins.