The Biggest Suiting Hits and Misses at the Venice Film Festival

Welcome to State of the Suit , a new Robb Report series in which writer and menswear stylist Caroline Reilly examines the sartorial choices of candidates, pundits, and other movers and shakers. Whether it’s an ode to a departing president’s timeless style or a fantasy list of items we think would better suit a prominent figure, she has plenty of thoughts.

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One of my favorite activities to do both as a menswear writer and stylist is to observe high profile events —award shows, political debates , global summits—and dedicate my attention to the minutiae of what the men are wearing, dissecting tie knots, lapel widths and trouser breaks.

Why? Because no matter how stylized menswear gets, certain tried-and-true formulas just work.

How a stylist (find me a man on any red carpet who is dressing himself) decides to bend or break those “rules” can be the difference between making a fashion statement and becoming a fashion victim. Too often, menswear watchers are inclined to celebrate a look simply because it’s slightly left of center and being worn an A-list celeb, or, because the name on the label bears some significance, be it a connection to a role they’ve played, an upcoming collaboration, etc.

Which brings us to this week’s topic: the Venice Film Festival . Teeming with examples of fantastic tailoring and missed marks in equal measure, the male darlings of fashion and film descended on the lagoon to show off their red carpet chops. Events like these are always thought-provoking, not least because my Instagram feed is filled with menswear accounts overlooking some of the best looks of the event (and lauding some of the lowest hanging fruit) but because these events provide a fashion ecosystem totally distinct from award shows or premieres. These days-long events require celebs to pivot from black tie to outfits that look appropriate stepping off a gondola in the late summer Italian heat.

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For the duration of the festival, the names on everyone’s lips were Brad Pitt and George Clooney but I do believe we have a case of A-list blindness when it comes to their choice of attire. Let’s start with Pitt, who caught quite a bit of attention in this Vuitton suit. But here’s the thing: no matter how many times I see this outfit in my feed, you can not sway me into liking it. Conceptually, I love a bias cut jacket and a fuller trouser, as well as an unconventional cut for an event like this. But the sleeves are way too long, the high contrast buttons look cheap, and the bell bottoms are far from flattering. Moving along to this one-two punch where he appeared on the red carpet with Clooney wearing what can only be described as “off-the-rack-groomsman-at-a-summer-wedding core” these suits are painful to look at. The choice of fabric combined with the lighter color means that every single wrinkle and crease is staring back at you and the ill-advised choice of white sneakers on Pitt is rivaled only by the break in his trousers, which seems to funnel directly into the shoe itself. The oversized lapel proved anticlimactic, revealing a lowly white tee. Clooney didn’t fare much better in a light gray suit that reveals about as much creasing as a piece of used aluminum foil and the choice of a heavy black shoe at the bottom of an otherwise light-hued outfit creates a hard stop and lacks harmony.

By contrast, I actually do like this pastel blue suit on Kevin Costner. The pleated pants are a nice traditional tailoring touch as is the decision to swap out a button down for a cream knit polo. That being said, again, the dark shoe with the light suit creates a sort of weird aggressive punctuation to the line of the leg, it stops the eye and the whole outfit would be better with a lighter, more cohesive shoe. Separately, whoever put him in this gray suit? To the Hague.

On a simpler note, this understated look on Willem Dafoe is a hit. The monochromatic palette and slim silhouette might not be the most eye-catching look but it works well on him. I also think this relaxed look on Michael Keaton complete with drawstring trousers and a monochromatic knit polo is another quiet hero of the festival and though I’d opt for different shoes (the white soles are blinding), his choice of blonde frame sunglasses is inspired. His formal navy tuxedo was an unusual choice, but I appreciate the departure from the standard fare and the patent shoes with a tassel detail are a really artful statement.

I wish the same could be said about Daniel Craig who almost hit the mark with his sexy tousled hair with this relaxed linen shirt look that was completely derailed by jeans that were both light wash and distressed. And I’m actually afraid to speak about the abomination that is this white suit for fear it will haunt me like some sort of miasma of bad tailoring, but men, I beg you to stop wearing dress shoes that are this pointy. They do not elongate your legs, I promise.

Let’s end on a positive note. When it came to fashion at the Venice Film Festival it was very much a young man’s game. I adore Harris Dickinson in this craggy double-breasted suit with a creamy monochromatic shirt and tie combo, made even more perfect with a lug sole shoe. Great tailoring, and a great example of how to color outside the lines without looking ridiculous. This four button number on Paul Kircher is the kind of thing you can really only pull off if you’re built like him (a beanpole) but when it works, damn it works so well. I love the choice of a boot to finish the look as well. There’s something very Hard Day’s Night about it and I think it’s so fun and perfect for a guy his age. The break on Francesco Gheghi’s trouser is about a quarter inch too long but this was another winner for me; the drape on the suit is so beautiful and the choice to forego a tie is one of my favorite stylistic decisions. The heavier sole on his shoe offers such a nice contrast to the movement of the suit. Finally, I absolutely adore these sexy 80’s gigolo-esque suits on Vincent Lindon. The rise on the pants, the open shirt, and the color palette are perfection. Could everyone pull it off? No. But does he do it oh so well? Yes.

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