Florence Pugh stepped out in Venice on Wednesday for a luxury shopping trip to Prada during a break from the Venice Film Festival. The 30-year-old British actress looked the epitome of style as she walked through the streets of the Italian city in a £1,646 yellow dress from fashion house Rodarte. Turning heads in the plunging halter neck gown, the star accessorised with a chic Chloe handbag and matching Chloe wedge sandals, adding a pair of stylish light lens shades while her blonde locks were left flowing loose over her shoulder.
The fashion-forward appearance comes as Pugh prepares to take on a villainous antiheroine role in her latest project, East Of Eden. The Oscar-nominated actress, who gained international recognition for her work in films such as Little Women, Midsommar, Dune: Part Two, and Oppenheimer, has become one of cinema's most sought-after stars.
On Tuesday evening, Pugh had commanded attention at another high-profile fashion event in the city, making a glamorous appearance at the Max Mara showcase in Venice wearing a plunging crop top and dramatic skirt. The ensemble featured an extreme plunging neckline on the top with fabric draped across her arms. The shimmering skirt, crafted in the same eye-catching hue, skimmed her curves before trailing down onto the floor in a dramatic flourish.
Posing for photographs in front of Venice's historic architecture and along the water's edge, she accessorised the outfit with an exquisite diamond necklace and matching earrings while carrying a clutch bag in hand. Earlier on Tuesday, the actress was seen arriving at the Venice Film Festival via water taxi, stepping ashore in a sophisticated black blouse worn braless beneath tailored trousers. She complemented her arrival look with towering high heels, a Louis Vuitton headscarf, and statement sunglasses.
Style and festival drama on the lagoon
Her return to the Italian city marks four years since her appearance during the press tour for the 2022 psychological thriller Don't Worry Darling. The promotional run for the film, directed by Olivia Wilde and co-starring Harry Styles, made headlines worldwide and became one of the most talked-about moments of that year's festival circuit.
The Venice International Film Festival, held annually on the Lido island in Venice, is recognized as the world's oldest film festival, having been founded in 1932. The festival opened its latest edition last Wednesday with the world premiere of Ink, a drama by Oscar-winning British director Danny Boyle about the rise of media magnate Rupert Murdoch.
The prestigious event will close on September 12 with the Italian costume drama Dio Ride, which translates as God Laughs, written and directed by Giovanni Veronesi. A host of high-profile international celebrities have been spotted across Venice during the festival, with stars including Penelope Cruz and Pamela Anderson seen leaving the ultra-luxury Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort, which has served as the historic heart of the festival for over nine decades.
Competition jury and festival lineup
American actress and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal chairs the main competition jury for this year's festival, leading a panel of international cinema figures responsible for deciding the winners.
The jury includes six other prominent filmmakers and artists from around the world:
- Tunisian director and screenwriter Kaouther Ben Hania
- English composer Daniel Blumberg
- Italian film scholar and professor Francesco Casetti
- French director Xavier Giannoli
- Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat
- Hong Kong director Johnnie To
