Art, Fashion and Cinema at the Lido

Until 30 th October 2025, the Hotel Nani Mocenigo Palace hosts Venetian Glamour, an exhibition featuring Jacopo Ascari’s illustrations in dialogue with a curated selection of fashion garments and accessories by Federico Poletti and Sandra Coppola. The Lido’s seafront promenade, with its hundred meters of red carpet, has always been the stage where cinema, fashion, and architecture meet in a fascinating spectacle of style and glamour. Actors and actresses, both on screen and at major ceremonies, have shaped trends, turning garments, hairstyles, and accessories into enduring symbols of elegance and distinction. From the earliest icons of Italian cinema to the divas of the twentieth century, every public appearance helped to create an aesthetic language that continues to inspire designers and define the visual codes of the red carpet today. Hosted in the gallery of the Nani Mocenigo Palace, the exhibition offers a glimpse into Venetian Glamour through illustrated interpretations of the festival’s most iconic locations and, above all, through Ascari’s portraits of its leading women, complemented by a selection of red carpet photographs shot by the photographers of Venezia da Vivere.

THE FASHION PATHWAY AT THE NANI MOCENIGO PALACE GALLERY

The fashion selection begins with footwear—iconic models by Emilio Pucci, Christian Lacroix, Givenchy, and Céline, worn by actresses such as Sofia Coppola, Cameron Diaz, Charlize Theron, and Sienna Miller. All are archival pieces from the Shoe Museum of Villa Foscarini Rossi. René Caovilla is featured with his signature serpent sandal, a masterpiece of craftsmanship and a global symbol of Italian creativity. In particular, Caovilla presents the Cleo silver sandal full crystal, worn by supermodel Toni Garrn at the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards 2025, and the Trigold sandal worn by top model Chantal Monaghan at the Venice International Film Festival 2025.

Another essential accessory of the red carpet, the handbag, focuses on Made in Venice excellence, with models from the Rubelli Foundation, crafted using the renowned Rubelli fabrics—an emblem of Venice’s textile heritage and its mastery in turning fine materials into applied art. Also showcased are Tote Bags by Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua, created in Fiere jade and Leoni bizantini ivory velvet, combining elegance and functionality. Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua enriches the exhibition with accessories and fabrics, bringing to life the sophistication of velvets, damasks, and lampas still woven by hand on eighteenth-century looms—a living testimony to timeless Venetian craftsmanship. Last but not least, Carla Plessi contributes creations inspired by the city itself: handbags that become aesthetic armors, reflecting Venice’s colors, details, and ornaments, turning each piece into a miniature urban tale. 

The red carpet looks include two kimono tops and a shirt titled Angeli e Demoni by designer Di Liborio, a long-standing pioneer in upcycling. In the first room stands the manifesto piece “A Dress for Venice”, a collaboration between Tiziano Guardini and Jacopo Ascari, made from biodegradable Bemberg™️ fiber by the Japanese company Asahi Kasei and embellished with Burano lace. The gown was worn by Margot Sikabonyi at the Venice Film Festival 2023. Bemberg™️ is a one-of-a-kind next-generation material, created through the smart-tech transformation of cotton linters—a pre-consumer material converted through a transparent and traceable closed-loop process. A Dress for Venice celebrates the union between fashion and new-generation craftsmanship.

The exhibition continues with three archival gowns from Vintage Delirium by Franco Jacassi: a black velvet evening dress by Roberto Capucci (Haute Couture 1980), showcasing the couturier’s sculptural mastery with its ruffled appliqués; a metallic mesh and Swarovski batwing-sleeved Oroton dress by Gianni Versace (Fall/Winter 1986–87); and a gold-pleated gown by Mila Schön (Spring/Summer 1992), all exemplifying the high craftsmanship of Italian fashion. The final piece is an embroidered long dress by Emé, a brand founded in 1961 in Castiglione delle Stiviere as Atelier Aimée. Emé continues to embody Italian elegance and bespoke tailoring, blending tradition, style, and personalization into an exclusive, emotionally engaging experience. 

Paolo Caffi, CEO of Nani Mocenigo Palace, comments: “The Venetian Glamour exhibition celebrates Venetian excellence and artisanal traditions, highlighting the encounter between fashion and cultural heritage while building a dialogue between past and present. Nani Mocenigo Palace aims to offer its guests a sensory and narrative experience that embodies Venetian beauty and the multifaceted essence of Made in Italy.”