From Romantic D&G to Edgy Louboutins: Dakota Fanning’s Bold Style Shift at the Venice Film Festival

When Dakota Fanning arrived at the 73rd Venice Film Festival on September 3, 2016, she signaled a sophisticated shift in her red carpet identity.

Dakota Fanning poses at the Brimstone photocall during the 73rd Venice Film Festival, wearing a plum Dolce & Gabbana dress that blends vintage-inspired detailing with a streamlined silhouette

Promoting her thriller Brimstone, the actress delivered a masterclass in contrasting aesthetics, transitioning from a structured, avant-garde daytime look to a shimmering evening gown.

Stepping confidently onto the Venice Film Festival backdrop, Dakota showcases the dress’s subtle embroidery and puffed sleeves while letting her statement heels peek through on September 3, 2016 (Credit: Dave Bedrosian / Future Image / Daziram / WENN)

For the afternoon photocall, Fanning leaned into the ornate romanticism of Dolce & Gabbana’s Fall 2016 collection. Her choice of a plum-colored frock—complete with puff sleeves and intricate embroidery—was a nod to classic Italian glamour, but it was her footwear that truly stole the show.

She showcased her toned figure in the classy frock, which had puffy sleeves and sparkling embroideries.

A close-up highlights Dakota’s beauty look, with soft gold eyeshadow and sleek, straightened blonde hair complementing the rich burgundy tone of her gown

With one hand on her hip, Dakota emphasizes the refined tailoring of her knee-length dress against the iconic Venice blue step-and-repeat

Dakota looked modest in the plum number, which she paired with red-and-black Christian Louboutin pumps. She accessorized with just a couple of rings and rounded out her look with straightened locks and gold eyeshadow.

A front view of her footwear reveals the red-and-black Christian Louboutin Cagouletta pumps, defined by cutouts, spikes, and a sculptural peep-toe design

From the side, the towering stiletto heels and signature red soles underscore the dramatic craftsmanship of the studded Louboutin pumps

Dakota Fanning Elevates Her Dolce & Gabbana Dress With Christian Louboutin “Cagouletta” Pumps

Dakota teamed the dress with Christian Louboutin “Cagouletta” pumps to add a quirky edge. Inspired by Mexican wrestling masks, they feature gold spike embellishments, zips, and cutouts that mimic the mask’s eye holes.

Her shoes also have peep toes and about four-inch contrasting white heels.

Dakota Fanning chose the red-and-black Christian Louboutin Cagouletta pumps, letting the bold color blocking and gold spike embellishments add a striking, fashion-forward edge to her romantic Dolce & Gabbana Venice Film Festival look

At the Man Down premiere in Los Angeles, Kate Mara styled her Christian Louboutin “Cagouletta” pumps by pairing the edgy, cutout and spike-embellished heels with a whimsical Christian Dior Spring 2017 embroidered nude dress that featured a flattering fit-and-flare silhouette, adding rings and stud earrings and finishing with soft blonde waves and bold makeup to balance elegance with modern edge.

Kate Mara styled the black Christian Louboutin Cagouletta pumps in a sleeker all-black finish, using the studded cutouts and sculptural silhouette to offset a delicate, embroidered dress with a modern attitude

Dakota Fanning Shines in a Custom Miu Miu Gown at the “Brimstone” Venice Premiere

That evening, Dakota commanded attention as she attended the premiere of “Brimstone” at Sala Grande.

She sparkled in a custom Miu Miu gown adorned with thousands of iridescent paillettes. It also featured spaghetti straps and an embellished tie waist.

Dakota Fanning glances over her shoulder on the Venice red carpet, revealing the delicate spaghetti straps, low back, and black tie detail of her iridescent sequin gown

Her half-up, half-down hairstyle and neutral makeup completed her look.

Stepping into the spotlight, Dakota lets the shimmering, rainbow-hued paillettes and softly cinched waist of her floor-length dress catch the light as photographers look on at the premiere of “Brimstone” during the 73rd Venice Film Festival on September 3, 2016

Dakota Fanning’s Shoe Style Evolution Beyond the Red Carpet

From statement heels on international red carpets to polished off-duty looks and front-row fashion moments, Dakota Fanning’s footwear choices reveal a carefully curated style evolution that extends far beyond a single event.

For readers looking to explore how she balances elegance, experimentation, and wearability across different settings, the following Your Next Shoes features offer a deeper look at her most memorable shoe and fashion moments.