Venice Film Festival's best looks on the red carpet over the years

From Zendaya in Balmain to Timothee Chalamet's daring backless ensemble, here's how stars have sparkled over the years

Lady Gaga wore Valentino to the A Star is Born screening at the Venice Film Festival, 2018. All photos: Getty Images

Pedro Pascal at the screening of Argentina, 1985 in 2022

Cate Blanchett wore Armani Prive in 2022

Jodie Turner-Smith in Christopher John Rogers in 2022

Patrick Dempsey at an event for the film Ferrari last year

Zendaya wore Balmain in 2021

Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac on the red carpet for the film Official Competition in 2021

Farhana Bodi wore frothy pink on the Priscilla red carpet last year

Jury president Julianne Moore at the White Noise opening ceremony in 2022

Florence Pugh in Valentino on the Don't Worry Darling red carpet in 2022

Actresses Tessa Thompson in a hooded, caped mini gown by Elie Saab in 2022

The Venice Film Festival begins on Wednesday, considered by many as a precursor to awards season.

The event is known for delivering high-octane glamour, with A-list celebrities pouring into the elegant city to show off their latest films. Big-name designers, from Chanel to Gucci to Versace, trip off the tongue when describing the red carpet looks.

After last year's event was impacted by the Hollywood writers and actors strikes with only directors in attendance, we can expect proceedings to return to relative normal this year, with stars out in force on the red carpet.

In years gone by, the festival has witnessed some spectacular red carpet moments, from Lady Gaga bringing some old-school glamour in ethereal pink Valentino in 2018, to human rights lawyer (and wife of George Clooney) Amal Clooney, who never puts a sartorial foot wrong – who looked stunning in lilac Versace in 2017, merely months after giving birth to twins.

Actresses Tessa Thompson and Jodie Turner-Smith dominated the 2022 red carpet, with the former wearing a hooded, caped mini gown by Elie Saab, and the latter sporting a multicoloured striped gown by Christopher John Rogers.

Cate Blanchett – who is a regular on best-dressed lists – has a knack for looking elegant and effortless at Venice, either in her long-standing go-to Armani Prive haute couture or something more avant-garde like Schiaparelli.

Zendaya, too, is accomplished at red carpet dressing, from wearing custom-made Balmain that looked like wet leather moulded onto her body or in artfully undone Valentino haute couture.

While it is normally the women who hog the limelight at film festivals, it is impossible to mention Venice without giving an honourable mention to Timothee Chalamet. With a deep sense of playfulness in his choices, he favours slim-cut suits and co-ord sets by Alexander McQueen or Haider Ackermann.

Chalamet hit a zenith last year when he arrived in red trousers with a matching backless, halter-neck top. Not many men can pull it off, but Chalamet made it look effortless and good fun all at once.