Two black dresses and two clear style statements. Penélope Cruz arrived at the Venice Film Festival, and she needed no extravagant fashion spectacle for her appearance to become one of the day’s most talked-about moments, at least where style was concerned.
After all, if the Spanish actress rose to fame in the 1990s with her refined, feminine looks, with brands such as Ralph Lauren and Narciso Rodriguez among her favourites at the time, Cruz now seems ready to revive a formula in 2026 that suited, and clearly still suits, her beauty perfectly. Namely: carefully considered, understated looks that flatter her figure and remind us once again that minimalism is the best way to gracefully withstand the passage of time and changing trends.
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In 1998, the actress wore a black V-neck dress with straps to the premiere of The Muse in Beverly Hills, and today she did almost exactly the same in a creation by the fashion house that is, without question, one of her key sartorial destinations. In a long black Chanel dress with two marabou flowers on the shoulders, Penélope once again revived the beauty of simplicity that we fell in love with more than 20 years ago.
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But that was not her only return to the past. Upon arriving in the Italian city, Penélope chose another black creation, this time with a wrap silhouette, which inevitably reminded us once again of her early Hollywood days. More specifically, it recalled the Prism Awards ceremony she hosted in 2002, when she also chose a similar style with draped details, a V-neckline and viscose fabric. Once again, the dress was the work of Chanel and Matthieu Blazy, and the actress paired it with the already iconic Chanel Flap bag, one of the season’s current it bags.
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This return to the past not only confirms the well-known rule that less is more, but also shows that staying true to your own style remains the best recipe for a perfect look on any occasion. It is a rule that Penélope Cruz undoubtedly follows consistently at every public appearance. Because when something works, why change it?