Woman in black: Gothic Madonna dons dark glasses to the Gucci Awards in Venice

Madonna was in full diva mode in Venice last night.

The pop icon showed up at the Gucci Awards for Women in Cinema with a huge entourage and dressed in a floor-length black gown - and with a very unnecessary accessory to boot.

The 53-year-old teamed her gothic outfit with a pair of dark sunglasses.

Diva fever: Madonna wore dark glasses to the Gucci awards

The black-out lenses were surrounded by lashings of silver glitter on the rims and Madonna topped off the look with a slick of red lipstick.

The dress was made up of a long-sleeved high-necked black top and floor-skimming skirt of black sequins, teamed with a thick metal belt.

Madonna was at the event, which took place at Hotel Cipriani, to present the Outstanding Artistic Achievement award to rising star Jessica Chastain.
Other celebrities who graced Gucci's red carpet included actresses Salma Hayek, Evan Rachel Wood, Abbie Cornish and Robin Wright.

Gothic: The pop legend wore a floor-length black gown with the shades

Salma stole the limelight in a trailing layered asymmetric gown while Robin sparkled in gold.

Meanwhile Evan and Abbie opted for slicked back hair and more simple numbers with Evan in a black jumpsuit and Abbie in a black halterneck top and white maxiskirt.
Madonna is in town for the 68th Venice Film Festival where she showcased her directorial debut this week.

Thefilm, entitled W.E. is a drama loosely based on divorcee Wallis Simpson, whose relationship with Britain's King Edward VIII led to his abdication in 1936.

Winner: Madonna presented an award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement to Jessica Chastain

Her first film, Filth And Wisdom was released in 2008 but didn't go down as well as the singer would have hoped, so her appearance in Venice is one of importance as she hopes to blow critics away with her second effort.
The title of the film is said to stand for the initials of the two main characters, Wallis and Edward.

Ms Simpson became the Duchess of Windsor when King Edward VIII renounced the throne and married her.

Butfitness fanatic Madonna, has cleverly given the film a modern twist, probably hoping that this will hold her in better stead for praise rather than negative press.

Entourage; Madonna arrived at the awards in Venice with a team of people

The film's Royal Family storyline runs parallel with a modern day equivalent following an unhappily married New Yorker named Wally Winthrop.

Thepop queen herself recently clarified that the film is about a woman's journey and not about the Duchess' life. Instead, the Duchess would act as the woman's spiritual guide.

Thestar says the success of the Oscar-winning The King's Speech also givesaudiences a point of reference for her new film, W.E.
'I view the success off that film as laying the ground work for my film,' she said in her press conference for the project.

Glamour girls: Salma Hayek (L) and Robin Wright wore glamorous floor-length gowns

'There's a little bit of history, and a little bit of knowledge. We are not starting from a blank slate.'.

Madonna said she received support for the project from both her two director ex-husbands, Sean Penn and Guy Ritchie.

Andit is with those two divorces from the after-mentioned men that make the singer best suited to tell the story of the two-time American divorcee.
Even Madonna admitted that there were parallels between her and Wallis.

Monchrome: Abbie Cornish (L) and Evan Rachel Wood opted for more simple outfits

She said that they have common traits, such as both being Americans married to Brits, a shared love of fabulous clothes and a sense of adventure.

But most of all, the singer said she could relate to being limited by fame and notoriety.

She also told a news conference that she identifies with Mrs Simpson, because fame often reduces celebrities 'to a soundbite.'

'Ithink once you become famous, you have to pretty much relinquish the idea that people are going to see you for who you are, or look beyond the surface of things,' she said.

Social butterfly: The star wore an embellished dress to the showcase of her film W.E.

The mother of four has also been flaunting a glowing and line-free complexion in Venice, despite being in her 50s.
She unveiled the youthful look at a photocall for her film the day after she arrived in the Italian city.
The singer-turned-director is apparently a fan of innovative beauty treatments including human placenta facials.

But despite such extreme measures, she has said she is opposed to the idea of going under the knife.

Youthful: The star showed off a glowing and line-free complexion this week

'I am what I am. And I don’t like the idea of someone putting you to sleep then taking knives to you,' she has said.

Instead, the youthful-looking star credits her religion, Kabbalah, for helping her to focus on inner rather than outer beauty.

She also maintains her lithe figure with a rigorous daily exercise routine, which lasts up to two hours, and a strict macrobiotic diet.