Move over fashion week: Chanel and Dior soft launch creations at Venice film festival

Big brands use red carpets and gondolas in Italian city to show looks from newly installed designers

After a year of musical chairs in the fashion industry, September is poised to be one of its biggest show months ever, with debut collections from 15 creative directors.

Rather than waiting for the catwalk, over the past 10 days brands including Chanel and Dior have given themselves a head start at the Venice film festival, using its starry red carpets and even gondolas to soft launch looks from their newly installed designers.