Big brands use red carpets and gondolas in Italian city to show looks from newly installed designers
After a year of musical chairs in the fashion industry, September is poised to be one of its biggest show months ever, with debut collections from 15 creative directors.
Rather than waiting for the catwalk, over the past 10 days brands including Chanel and Dior have given themselves a head start at the Venice film festival, using its starry red carpets and even gondolas to soft launch looks from their newly installed designers.
Unlike the Oscars, which is one night of intense red-carpet scrutiny, or the Cannes film festival, which comes with strict rules, the focus at Venice is very much on notable art house films.
With the pressure off, it allows designers, stylists and their Hollywood clients the opportunity to have a bit more fun. Amanda Seyfried even borrowed the same Versace look from Julia Roberts. A triumph for sustainability or a marketing stunt? Either way, it was front-page news.
