In a red The Vampire’s Wife gown, Greta Bellamacina felt ‘dramatic’ at Cartier’s 2023 Venice Film Festival Party. ‘There's such a magic to the shape of the dress–and the colour. It felt very special. There's also this timelessness to it. A lot of pieces from The Vampire’s Wife transcend the decades,' she tells us hours after the star-studded event.
Evoking old Hollywood glamour, the Ruby Slipper Skyrocket dress cuts a dramatic silhouette, with layers of tulle and intricately placed sequins. ‘I feel so held in [The Vampire’s Wife co-founder and designer] Susie Cave’s dresses, there's something in the lining that makes you instantly feel much more poised,’ she says, referencing the fitted bodice.
The actor and poet (Bellamacina is a former young poet laureate) found inspiration in the location. She describes the Italian city as ‘beautiful and melancholic.’ ‘Because there's so many theatrical moments of the Venice film festival, I wanted something that was in keeping with the innate drama of Venice. I wanted to wear something that kind of felt in keeping with that kind of gothic, romantic feel. I think if Venice was a film, it would be Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Only Lovers Left Alive [starring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston].’
She accessorised her look with Gold Jimmy Choos and Cartier jewellery. ‘I wore the matching love circle necklace and love ring, because I thought those were the two most romantic pieces from the collection. To me, the classic gold circle has this sort of Sophia Loren feeling. I wore the ring with my own trinity ring, which is also Cartier. It stacks really well with other other pieces. While in Venice, I went to a talk about Cartier’s history and learned that it was also Jean Cocteau's favourite ring, he made it iconic.’
To craft the look, Bellamacini worked with her longtime stylist, Rachel Bakewell. ‘I think we’re both naturally drawn to clothes that feel theatrical,’ she says. When it comes to creating a red carpet moment, the pair have a continual dialogue about ideas. ‘We’re constantly sharing; it could come from looking through a book or watching a film; we have a bank of images that we both look to for inspiration. Rachel is very good at piecing things together.’
The party itself was a night to remember, taking place under a rare full blue moon, surrounded by the Venetian waters. ‘It felt cinematic walking down with all the white washed buildings wearing something quite luminous. You walk in and there’s a red carpet and all these old black and white films still from the 1960s. The Academy Award winning composer, Justin Hurwitz performed. He did the music for La La Land, Babylon, First Man and Whiplash. It was incredible, it really did feel like you were walking into that film.’
Bellamacina has always adopted a playful relationship with fashion, which she credits to her film career. Costume has long been her gateway to a new character, since her first film role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. She recently got to go back to school again. ‘I made a film called Tell That To The Winter Sea where I play a teenage version of the character in a school uniform. Then I played the character in real time: one of the best ways to feel like you're leaving yourself and moving closer to someone else is through clothes.’
In addition to acting and poetry, Bellamacina is also a screenwriter and director. Her debut feature film Hurt By Paradise (which she also wrote and starred in) follows the plight of a single mother trying to make it as a poet, and features a storied assortment of vintage dresses. ‘I love vintage clothes. I like to buy things and hold on to them to put into projects or films. I’m drawn to things and I don't always know why, but then later I end up discovering a reason. I have a playful approach to shopping–and dressing.’
Buying second hand is integral to her personal style. ‘I like clothes that feel lived in’ she says. Last year, she starred in Italian director Riccardo Vannucci’s ‘Commedia’, and fell in love with Rome's vintage scene. ‘I am completely obsessed with this chain called Humana. They’re all over Italy and really cheap. I picked up so many Victorian cotton dresses for ten euros.’
Caught off guard by a cool Italian autumn, Bellamacina also purchased a retro ski jacket that she’ll be wearing again this winter. 'Not only is it warm, but it’s one of those pieces that I just know will be perfect for something in the future,' she notes. Watch this space.
