Bianca Balti just brought a dramatic dose of couture to the 2026 Venice Film Festival. The Italian supermodel stepped onto the red carpet in a pale pink gown featuring sculpted hips, a sharply pointed corset and a pair of statement wings at the back.
The custom Ilya Migmoon look was undeniably eye-catching, but fans couldn't quite agree on whether it was a fashion triumph. While many admired Balti herself, others felt the unusual proportions made the gown look awkward, with comments focusing on the pointed bust, oversized hips and wings that some thought were simply too small for the rest of the dress.
The Custom Ilya Migmoon Gown
Balti wore the custom Ilya Migmoon gown for the Ink screening and opening red carpet during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on 2 September.
The pale pink, strapless satin gown featured a structured corseted bodice with a dramatic pointed neckline. From there, the silhouette became even more sculptural, with exaggerated hips, a draped floor-length skirt and a long train trailing behind her.
A statement necklace added sparkle to the otherwise soft pink look. Meanwhile, the real showstopper was the pair of wings attached to the back, giving the gown an almost angelic feel.
Interestingly, the look has a lot in common with the Ilya Migmoon gown Joey King wore for the Practical Magic 2 premiere. Both designs play with a corseted bodice, exaggerated hips and dramatic wing-inspired detailing. The biggest difference is the colour and wing placement. King wore a striking green-and-black gown, with the black wings positioned around her hips.
ADORE: Bianca Balti in a custom ✨️Ilya Migmoon✨️ 'winged' CORSET gown for Venice Film Festival.🪡
— La Mode Unknown (@LaModeUnknown) September 2, 2026
PS: so happy for Ilya and the recognition he gets lately! pic.twitter.com/Mc3olhGV1j
Fans React: 'Zendaya Did It Better'
The gown may have been designed to make a statement, but some fans felt its proportions worked against it.
On Reddit, commenters picked apart everything from the bust to the hips. One person said: 'The whole dress just looks off.' Another questioned why a supermodel like Balti could still end up in something that appeared poorly fitted.
The pointed cups were another sticking point. One commenter said: 'I dislike the pointy boobs, the exaggerated hips, and the lacing in the back that goes too far down.'
It didn't take long for fans to draw comparisons to Zendaya.
Some fans argued that the actress's had already nailed the winged-gown trend. She wore a white angel-inspired gown with feathered wings at the New York premiere of The Odyssey in July, creating a striking silhouette that many viewers felt was more cohesive.
Criticising Balti's gown, a critic wrote: 'It is flat out ill-fitting. Zendaya did it better.'
Bianca Balti and Her Cancer Journey
Balti is one of Italy's best-known supermodels, having worked with major fashion brands including Dolce & Gabbana throughout her career.
She has also become an advocate for cancer awareness following her own health journey. Balti discovered she carried a BRCA1 gene variant and underwent a preventative double mastectomy in 2022.
In 2024, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with stage 3C ovarian cancer and subsequently underwent surgery and chemotherapy. Since then, she has continued to speak openly about her recovery, body image and life after cancer treatment.
Her Venice appearance therefore carried significance beyond the fashion itself, as Balti continues to return to the spotlight with the confidence that made her a familiar face on international runways and red carpets.
