‘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.