Red carpet followers, you will be pleased to know: The 2025 Venice Film Festival has officially arrived! Occurring over the next few weeks, the glitzy ceremony—known as one of the most glamorous film events in the world—is set to deliver a stellar red carpet filled with A-listers. And with expected stars like Emma Stone, Julia Roberts, and Amal Clooney on the roster this year, you can certainly count on a splashy array of custom gowns.
The Venice Film Festival has a history of delivering memorable red carpet moments, after all. Since its inception in 1932, the Italian festival has long seen top Hollywood stars descend upon the affair (in their gondolas, of course) wearing their finest formal attire. Compared to the rigid red carpet rules that come with, say, Cannes, Venice is more free-spirited and fun—meaning, you can always count on the actors in attendance to take risks and truly go for it.
Some examples of such peacocking over the years? In 2024, emerging star and jury member Taylor Russell dominated the red carpet in fresh-off-the-runway dresses and archival gems. That same year, Lady Gaga went avant-garde with a sculptural Philip Treacy headpiece—and made her red carpet debut with Michael Polansky.
Below, read on for 107 of the best fashion moments over the years.