Penélope Cruz returned to the Venice Film Festival on Monday, arriving to the Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Pier in a Ferragamo dress alongside Javier Bardem, her husband of Penélope Cruz returned to the Venice Film Festival on Monday, arriving to the Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Pier in a Ferragamo dress alongside Javier Bardem, her husband of 16 years.

Cruz turned to the luxury Italian brand’s take on the wrap dress with LBD inspiration. The Oscar-winning star wore a black jersey dress with a V-shaped crossover neckline and a pair of black slingback pumps from the brand’s curation of fall finds.

Although Ferragamo designs were the centerpiece of her look, Cruz also spotlighted her continued relationship with Chanel. The actress accessorized with cat-eye sunglasses and a bag from the French luxury fashion house. Cruz has served as a Chanel ambassador since July 2018, appointed to the role by late couturier Karl Lagerfeld.

In years past, the Venice Film Festival has been a red carpet showcase for Cruz, who’s sported several designs from Chanel haute couture collections, among other labels and houses. For her 2022 and 2021 appearances at the annual festival, Cruz hit the red carpet in gowns from Chanel’s fall 2021 and 2022 haute couture collections, respectively.

Aside from Chanel designs, Cruz’s past Venice Film Festival red carpet appearances also featured her in a whimsical Ralph & Russo Couture dress in 2019 and a feathery design courtesy of Atelier Versace, which she wore in 2017.

Ferragamo becomes the latest brand to join Cruz’s growing roster of Venice Film Festival designers and labels. The jersey dress, while casual enough for an arrival look, was still elevated for the glamour require of the occasion, and made a subtle sartorial nod to Italy, where the brand is based.

The 2026 Venice Film Festival kicked off on Sept. 2 and concludes on Saturday. Actors George Clooney and Ellen Burstyn were honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Films like Danny Boyle’s “Ink” and Werner Herzog’s “Bucking Fastard,” starring sisters Kate and Rooney Mara, have premiered thus far.