Kendall Jenner Just Gave the Poncho an Unexpected After-Dark Makeover

After-hours shirts aren't what they used to be: cropped, skintight, and black. This summer, It girls like Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber upgraded their going-out top game with lace-trimmed camisoles and silky button-down blouses. By the time September arrived, Jenner turned to a cozy poncho.

Jenner's style series at the 2026 Venice Film Festival ended as quickly as it started: On September 4, two days after she arrived, the supermodel was spotted at the airport with one last street style look up her sleeve: Jenner wore an asymmetrical velvet poncho from Etro, which wouldn't have looked out of place on a night out.

Kendall Jenner styled a poncho as a going-out top with the dark denim trend and ballet flats in Venice — Kendall Jenner traded typical going-out tops for a poncho as dark as her denim. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The design's paisley print was as intricate as the floral embroidery on her gold Giorgio Armani gown the night prior. Meanwhile, the top's deep, borderline-black shade of indigo complemented the straight-leg, dark-wash denim.

While her top half was a throwback to the Y2K era, when ponchos were last trending, the bottom half was in line with one of fall's biggest denim trends, as seen on the runways of Zimmermann, Stella McCartney, Khaite, and more.

Etro

Burnout Velvet Poncho

To finish her vacation-turned-travel outfit, Jenner accessorized with sculptural witchy sunglasses (resembling one of Peggy Guggenheim's pairs), a rose-laden leather tote bag, and the same The Row Stella Slippers she arrived in. Since Jenner rarely leaves L.A. without the high-vamp flats trend in tow, why wouldn't she save them a spot in her Venice luggage?

The Row

Stella Ballerina Flat

While ponchos aren't necessarily swinging back into the fashion zeitgeist, cape-like pieces played a part in the Spring/Summer 2026 fashion shows of Khaite, Dior, and more. The flowy look debuted in various shades and proportions, ranging from a structured leather top with a trailing back at Balenciaga to a tiered, bow-tied topper at Valentino.

A model wore a poncho at the Balenciaga Spring 2026 fashion show — The going-out top turned leather on Balenciaga's spring runway. (Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Valentino's poncho on the Spring 2026 runway — A model wore a tiered poncho on the Valentino Spring 2026 runway. (Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Take it from Jenner: If your going-out top collection only consists of tanks, bandeau tops, and baby tees, you're missing out. This fall, switch things up by shopping the Jenner-approved ponchos and dark-wash jeans below.