Emily Lind came to a moment of understanding when working on her forthcoming David Mamet film, Speed-the-Plow: that no one ever really has it figured out, and that fact alone is quite freeing. "I had a moment on that film where I realized that growth is not always easy and that vulnerability is hard in this industry," Emily Lind tells us. "I learned through David that the best job is learning and listening." This relaxed yet very open energy was immediately clear when she picked up my call. Lind was on a balcony in Venice overlooking a stretch of grass, taking a break from glam ahead of the premiere of her film, Company. "It's very hard," she joked about the glam process. "It's ridiculously difficult."

The vibes in her glam room were chill for the moment and stress-free, with glasses of lemonade being passed around as Lind paused for our chat. Soon enough, though, the music would be popping once again. Her two rules: whoever was responsible enough to bring the speaker gets to play the music—"I listen to the same things over and over and over and over again," she says, adding that her daily rotation consists of the same oldies on repeat—and that everyone must have fun. "It sounds like we're having a party. That's just how it has to be," she says. "This is all fun, right? We're playing dress-up, and this is the easiest part. It can be hard, but only if you make it hard."

This seems to be the way Lind approaches everything—including being asked to do this film 24 hours before it was set to film. "I was at Knicks game in New York, they were on their winning streak, and it was awesome. I got a call, and the team was like, 'Hey, do you want to come?' I didn't even have time to read the script until I was on the plane," she says. "I'm actually better last minute in some ways. That's usually how I roll and how life works out for me."

Photo: Virgile Guinard

Her look for Company's Venice Film Festival premiere was very much inspired by her character in the film, Evelyn: a mysterious young woman that anchors the film. "She's gothic and a bit timeless. Our styles are similar in a lot of ways, actually. She wears a black dress with a collar that's from the '60s or '70s," Lind says. "I keep it really simple. I also like to contradict situations. The coolest fashion vibe or fashion statement is to do the opposite of what the event calls for—that's when I feel very confident. I like wearing jeans and a t-shirt when it's supposed to be very fancy, and wearing something ridiculous and out there when it's supposed to be casual."

While she didn't opt for jeans and a T-shirt this time, she assured us that she had something "much cooler" lined up: a gothic-inspired custom Louis Vuitton gown, no less. "I really just like the way that Louis Vuitton captured an innocence, a femininity, a masculinity, and a very gothic nature to this stunning dress," Lind says. "They really did something special for me here because the gothic Victorian doll schoolgirl look is actually my dream."

Photo: Virgile Guinard

As for her glam—Valeria Ferreira did her makeup and Ben Talbott did her hair—Lind wanted something subtle that would let the dress to be the star of the show. "I wanted something simple and cool," she says. "I want to feel like myself. That's one of the most important things that I have realized over the years. People will try to pull you in a lot of different directions, but screw the idea that you're supposed to fit a mold."

Photo: Emily Lind

Once she's dressed in her dream dress and glammed in the understated way that she prefers, some deep breaths always help. That, plus constant reminders that she is decked to the nines in a custom Louis Vuitton look that she loves and feels confident in. "Don't wear something for someone else. As long as you feel confident, that shines through," she says. "If that means five hours of glam or if that means not doing any at all, just do what's right for you. That's all that matters."

Photo: Virgile Guinard