10 fotos

All the Venice looks of Isabelle Huppert, the 71-year-old star who dares to wear everything

From the quayside of the Hotel Excelsior to the festival’s red carpet, the French actress, who was president of the grand jury at the 81st festival, deserves a category all to herself thanks to her many and varied looks

Sep 09, 2024 - 12:26CEST

She may look like a tourist, but she is a queen. A cap that looks like a souvenir (but it's not: it costs €295 on Balenciaga's website), a tracksuit reminiscent of those cheap velvet ones from the 2000s (but it's not: it's actually look number 13 from the fall 2024 collection runway show that Balenciaga presented in December 2023 in Los Angeles) and a to-go coffee cup (which, surprise, it's not either: it's Balenciaga's 9AM Bag, priced at around €6,000). With these three elements, Huppert masterfully appropriates an aesthetic that speaks to the culture of influencers and the silhouettes of the so-called Y2K. As defined by 'The New York Times' it is the “most ‘I woke up like this!’ look” of the festival. Alessandro Levati (Getty Images)

Bold, but classic. The actress's lifelong stylist, Jonathan Huguet, has thus described in 'Vogue' the choice of the red opera dress-coat belonging to Demna's first Balenciaga couture collection, which Huppert wore at the opening of the festival: for him, it evoked the image of the divas of the 50s who frequented the theater. Done in a vivid “Italian potato red” and paired with elbow-length white gloves and Cartier jewelry, it was accompanied by a relaxed, fun and groundbreaking touch in the form of futuristic-looking black sunglasses. Vittorio Zunino Celotto (Getty Images)

Radical and effortless. In a showcase of global projection (the one that means getting off a “motoscafo” in front of photographers in Venice during its film festival) there are those who choose the “show” and there are those who choose class, but there is only one — Huppert — who ignores the game altogether: the woman who gave birth to French nonchalance now makes it too “cool” to dress in baggy pants that resemble a tracksuit, a sweatshirt with kitsch print and a simple cotton cap. In the picture, in Venice, with a Balenciaga “look” and the brand's “Rodeo” bag (about €4,000).Alessandro Levati (Getty Images)

To welcome Pedro Almodóvar on the red carpet of 'The Next Room,' Huppert chose a classic style reminiscent of the divas of old Hollywood, the leopard print, in an explicitly modernized version: taken from Balenciaga's Winter 2024 collection (it was the first “look” of the show), her long dress, reinforced at the shoulders and with cape added the dose of drama that could be demanded from the actress. She paired it with Cartier jewelry.Vittorio Zunino Celotto (Getty Images)

Denim on denim. Huppert's arrival in Venice foreshadowed what we were about to witness: the perfect fit between the actress and French brand Balenciaga.The relationship began in 2021 with several advertising campaigns and it was in the summer of 2023 when the French brand signed Huppert as an ambassador. According to a statement released by both parties, Huppert's “undeniable talent” as well as “her intellectual genius and style” were decisive for the choice. MARCO BERTORELLO (AFP via Getty Images)

The “nude dress” by Armani. To attend the premiere screening of 'Queer,' Huppert swapped Balenciaga for Armani and chose this Armani Privé Fall 2024 dress in a semi-transparent mesh, embroidered with pearls, which she paired with a matching beret.Ernesto Ruscio (Getty Images)

At her presentation as president of the jury, she wore a green crocodile skin print ensemble from the Balenciaga Spring 2025 collection, the 22nd look from Demna's show in Shanghai last May. Daniele Venturelli (WireImage)

From Armani Privé 2024, the dress that the actress chose for the presentation of 'Joker: Folie à Deux', resembled a chain mail over a blouse with voluminous sleeves. Andreas Rentz (Getty Images)

Black may be the quintessential color of formality when it comes to red carpets, but here Huppert has a more groundbreaking approach: pierced cap, manicure, toe-length knit dress, sporty socks and Track sneakers. All from Balenciaga. Age is never a factor in Huppert's decision making. Pascal Le Segretain (Getty Images)

Huppert once recounted that for most of her life she didn't care much about style rules. However, she is fully aware that “The public's perception of a character can change drastically (and irrevocably) with the elevation of a stiletto heel or a smudge of red lipstick.” Here, descending from her “water cab,” in an outfit of blazer and slacks, all in black. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis (Corbis via Getty Images)