Most Wanted: One Night in Venice

Second only to Cannes, the Venice Film Festival is one of the most prestigious celebrations of cinema in the world – and arguably the most glamorous, with key looks from the fall/winter 2026 runway making their way to the red carpet. Just two days into the 83rd annual event, there have already been some stellar fashion moments from the likes of Amal Clooney, who arrived to a sea of flashing cameras on the Lido di Venezia wearing Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann, and former PORTER cover star Claire Foy, at the premiere of her new film, Ink, wearing custom Bottega Veneta.

“I love looking at the Venice Film Festival red carpet as the dress code tends to lean into elegance and subtle seductiveness over flamboyance,” says NET-A-PORTER’s buying manager, Lydia Zacharis. “It coincides with our first drops from the fall/winter ’26 collections and aligns nicely with this season’s transitional color palette of red, purple and chartreuse as well as sumptuous fabrics such as jacquard and lace.”

As the Venice lineup of stylish actors often proves, there are few things more showstopping than a red dress, so be sure to pull out all the stops for your next cocktail or black-tie event with this asymmetric midi by McQueen. Cut from swathes of georgette, it has an elegant open back and a flowing handkerchief hem that calls for a heel – Tom Ford’s croc-effect leather and velvet stilettos deliver height and plenty of drama. Finally, embrace old Hollywood glamour with Alaïa’s plush velvet opera gloves and a pair of 18-karat gold diamond earrings courtesy of Anita Ko.

While a dress might be your first port of call for special occasions, there are other options that can be just as impactful in formal settings. “I would personally opt for separates such as Dries Van Noten’s floral-jacquard bustier top and Valentino’s lace-trimmed satin maxi skirt, styled with Paris Texas’s burgundy mules, an evening bag from Khaite and the most gorgeous emerald cocktail ring from By Pariah,” says Zacharis. Alternatively, up your tailoring game with Loewe’s artfully folded pants, either paired with a crisp white tuxedo shirt or Khaite’s ‘Briar’ blouse in layered silk organza from NET-A-PORTER’s exclusive edit.