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Musician and actor Halsey has made a standout appearance at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, stepping onto the red carpet in a slinky yellow halterneck gown by Australian design duo Nicol + Ford.
Attending the premiere of The Smashing Machine, the 30-year-old singer—whose real name is Ashley Frangipane—paired the look with a blunt 1930s-style bob and their fiancé, Resident Evil star Avan Jogia, on their arm. The couple danced their way down the carpet, even appearing to break into a fox trot before Halsey twirled dramatically in step. It was one of many joyful couple moments we’ve spotted on the sun-soaked Venice red carpet this year, made more special by the story behind her look.
The gown, which first appeared on Nicol + Ford’s 2025 resort runway, comes from their Parrhesia collection, a name drawn from the Ancient Greek word meaning “to speak freely.” Designed with sheer and intricate art deco cut-outs across the chest that trail down the skirt and gathered train, the “Intrigue” gown features a plunging low back with a style that channels the glamour of a bygone era.
The Sydney-based label, known for their sensual draping and queer-liberation ethos, couldn’t be a more fitting match for Halsey who identifies as bisexual and non-binary. “We were delighted to be approached for Halsey’s team as they planned a suite of looks for the Venice International Film Festival,” said Lil Nicol-Ford, who designs alongside wife Katie Louise Nicol-Ford. “Halsey’s longstanding advocacy in women’s health and queer visibility aligns perfectly with the research and design underpinning our collections. We are honoured that she has breathed life into this garment with such joy on the red carpet.”
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Pioneering German sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld inspired the collection. Hirschfeld campaigned against the criminalisation of homosexuality and founded the Institute for Sexual Science in 1930s Germany. Eventually, he was forced to flee the country, and his Institute was looted and closed by the Nazis. “Parrhesia is an ode to the lost liberalism of the Weimar Republic and a celebration of the resilience that has endured,” Lil Nicol + Ford told ELLE Australia following their Australian Fashion Week show in May.
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Halsey, who has been candid about living with bipolar disorder, lupus, and endometriosis, has channelled her own struggles into her music and career. Her breakout album Badlands—written in her teens as a metaphor for mental illness and isolation—will be revived on an Australian tour later this year. It’s part of a creative renaissance for the star, who has just wrapped press for indie film Americana and is currently developing a dark comedy series Bloodlust for Amazon, following her role in Ti West’s slasher sequel MaXXXine.
Back home, Nicol + Ford’s star continues to rise. In June, Cardi B accepted her ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award in a gothic gown from the label’s Thorn collection. We’ll keep an eye out for more looks when Halsey lands on Australian shores in 2026.
The post Halsey Wore A Rising Australian Designer During Sweet Moment With Fiancé At Venice Film Festival appeared first on ELLE.
