The Hollywood Reporter - 21.08.2019

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 62 AUGUST 21, 2019

GAGA: MARIA MORATTI/CONTIGO/GETTY IMAGES. VENICE: TRISTAN FEWINGS/GETTY IMAGES FOR JAEGER-LECOULTRE. GRAY: ELIZABETH WEINBERG/

THE NEW YOR K

TIMES

/REDUX.

ASTRA

: FRANÇOIS DUHAMEL/20TH CENTURY FOX. SANDAL: COURTESY

OF FERRAGAMO. COAT: COURTESY OF NET-A-PORTER. BOOT: COURTESY OF NORDSTROMS. PARKA: COURTESY OF ZEGNA. CANTINE: TOMMASO GASTALDI.

T

he Venice Film Festival’s
natural environs and its late-
summer dates mean attendees
likely will be confronted with
one of Mother Nature’s fiercest
forces — water. Venice’s historical
acqua alta (high water) events can
inundate parts of the lagoon later
in the fall, but festival participants
have been hit with early previews
caused by sudden rainstorms that
have sent them scrambling for
higher ground.
Former CBS Films exec Scott
Shooman became stranded after
a Vice party when it stormed so
hard that boats stopped operating.
“The water taxi phone numbers all
hung up on me when I called,” he
remembers. “I could see my hotel
across the canal. Almost swam it.
Three and a half soaking hours
later I found a bridge and made my
way home.” Next time, he says, he’ll
“pack a poncho.”
Venice veterans are well aware of
the potential of water peril on the
lagoon. Naomi Watts, who served
as a festival juror in 2018 and has
attended multiple times, asked her

longtime stylist, Jeanann Williams,

to keep her footwear appropri-

ate for long screening hours and

water travel. Williams styled her in

flats, boots and platforms, because

Venice isn’t stiletto friendly. “It’s

grueling, it’s hot and [you are] on

and off boats,” Williams told THR.

“Boots are great,” says costume

designer and style author Luke

Reichle, who says to approach

Venice like any other place where

one might get stuck in a downpour.

He doesn’t recommend packing

full-on galoshes, but perhaps a

pair of fun mid-calf water-resistant

boots, such as Valentino’s Rockstud

rain boots ($475), which can be

dressed up or down.

In a pinch, he adds, disposable

gaiters are sold in Venice when it

floods. “They’re like plastic sleeves

that go over the shoes and up to

the knee.”

Former WME agent turned execu-

tive style consultant Andrew Weitz

suggests waterproof sneakers,

loafers or boots from Swims. “All are

meant for the water,” he says, but

they pass as regular shoes. Jeanne

Yang, who styled Roma director

Alfonso Cuarón for Venice last year,

recommends Tod’s Gommino shoes

with rubbery balls on the soles.

“They’re invaluable when the carpet

is slippery and wet,” she says.

But how does one keep dry above

the shoes? For potentially wet —

but also hot — weather, “finding a

chic rain cover for a dress or suit

is the holy grail,” says Reichle. An

easy-to-pack and affordable option

is Uniqlo’s mens Blocktech single-

breasted coat ($99.90), which can

be worn by both men and women.

He adds that a simple, lightweight

Burberry car coat is always a good

option, too, “but you have to look

good in beige.”

Reichle is a fan of Gucci’s nylon

reversible poncho ($750) — “you

should be allowed in first class if

you have one of these” — but adds

that the voluminous garment needs

to be worn with caution. “A great

way to wear a poncho is to belt it

in front and let it billow out in back.

You don’t want to completely let

it out because it looks like you’re

wearing a garbage bag.”

HOW TO DRESS FOR Ri sing^ Wate rs

From navigating water taxis to walking the red carpet during a summer downpour, looking great

in the very wet Italian city can be a slippery task — especially in formal attire BY SHARON SWART

Lady Gaga said she almost became a “wet

Big Bird” after it started raining ahead of the

2018 A Star Is Born premiere in Venice.

WHERE TO DOCK FOR A Snack

Some of Venice’s best food is found in cicchetti, small bites served in intimate bars

ALL’ ARCO

Sestiere San Polo 436, 30125

Near the Rialto bridge, this

bacaro is “simple but true,” says

Venice native Matteo Perale,

co-founder of Wiip. It’s “where

Venetians go more than tourists.”

Highly rated for its wide array of

scrumptious cicchetti, it closes

at 2:30 p.m., so go for lunch.

CANTINE DEL VINO GIA SCHIAVI →

Fondamenta Nani 992,

Dorsoduro, 30123

Canal-adjacent, Schiavi’s cicchetti

with baccala mantecato

(whipped salt cod) are a draw, says

Massimiliano Zavagli Ricciardelli,

another Venice native and a former

Sony marketing exec. Open until

8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

VINO VERO

Fondamenta de la Misericordia

Cannaregio 2497

Producer Robert Salerno, who enjoyed

late-night treats here in 2018 with his

Vox Lux crew, including Natalie

Portman and director Brady Corbet,

recommends the cicchetti with

buffalo mozzarella, fig, walnut and bal-

samic. “Almost like a dessert,” he says.