Some red carpet trends take on the form of a food-inspired color or a can't-miss embellishment. At the Venice Film Festival, the biggest trend isn't what guests from Ayo Edebiri to Greta Lee and Monica Barbaro are wearing—but who.
Chanel, Dior, Versace, and Valentino are among the designers who have announced new creative directors over the past year. Instead of saving their debuts for their first collections at Milan or Paris Fashion Week, they're letting stars (and their stylists) pre-game the runway at the Venice Film Festival. Usually, when a house changes hands, an entirely fresh aesthetic—and the new front row RSVPs—are kept under lock and key until the show starts. This time, designers are giving their audiences a taste early: building hype and setting the stage for a busy fashion month.
