The 6 Major Trends on the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards Red Carpet

On Monday evening, the Council of Fashion Designers of America converged in New York to fête the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards presented by Amazon Fashion. Celebrities, designers, editors, and stylists arrived at the American Museum of Natural History to honor the best and brightest in American design, and the evening’s attendees made a case for why American fashion still sets the tone. Keke Palmer hosted the event in a dazzling archival look alongside presenters Demi Moore, Lupita Nyong’o, Hailey Bieber, and Zoë Kravitz.

Amazon Fashion has been the presenting sponsor of the CFDA Fashion Awards for five years, and this year, the retailer used the platform to spotlight a brand that reinvented itself before our eyes: Gap Inc. The brand was honored with this year’s Amazon Innovation Award for driving innovation in product, branding, and storytelling. Gap Inc. has redefined what an iconic and, frankly, nostalgic American brand can be in 2026. Demi Moore presented the award, and President and Chief Executive Officer of Gap Inc. Richard Dickson and Creative Director of Gap Inc. Zac Posen accepted it on behalf of the company. They joined Jenny Freshwater, Amazon Fashion’s Vice President of Fashion and Fitness, and other notable guests in celebrating throughout the night. Among those we spotted on the red carpet and throughout the room were Law Roach, Brandy and Monica, and Esther McGregor, who audiences will see more of in Prime Video’s highly anticipated adaptation of Fourth Wing.

As for the carpet, attendees arrived in looks that pushed the boundaries of so-called red carpet dress codes, setting the tone for what we can expect to see in Hollywood come award season early next year. Both Lupita Nyong’o and Demi Moore wore denim ensembles by GapStudio, a nod to the evening’s biggest honoree and a break from traditional “rules.” Gold was the color of the night, from Palmer’s vintage Bob Mackie look to Bieber’s opulent skirt set.

Along with fringe, feather details, and elegant stoles, here are the biggest red carpet trends from the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards—and how to shop them.

Denim for a black-tie event? It sounds wrong, but the celebrities at this year’s CFDA Fashion Awards made the unlikely case for it. Demi Moore paid homage to Gap’s iconic jeans arriving in a custom GapStudio denim corseted halter gown by Zac Posen and carrying a denim envelope Gapbag, designed by Reed Krakoff. Lupita Nyong’o wore three custom GapStudio looks throughout the night, including a red skirt set with a denim trucker jacket. Shaboozey went full-tilt Western in a blazer, bolo tie, and distressed jeans. Denim is at the heart of American fashion history, after all, and this evening proved that it’s all in the high-low styling.

WHO: Demi Moore

WEAR: Custom GapStudio, designed by Zac Posen

WHO: Lupita Nyong’o

WEAR: Custom GapStudio , designed by Zac Posen

WHO: Shaboozey

WEAR: Ralph Lauren

It’s always exciting when a ready-to-wear trend makes its way onto the red carpet, and this evening gave major backing to the opulence we’ve been seeing on the runways. The most memorable gowns were those with lots of details, like Esther McGregor’s sculptural Thom Browne dress, Chlöe Bailey’s feathered outfit or the black flower appliqués on Alix Earle’s archival Isaac Mizrahi gown. Feathers, appliqués, and beading lent a sense of couture-level craftsmanship to the evening’s best-dressed guests.

WHO: Alix Earle

WEAR: Archival Isaac Mizrahi

WHO: Esther McGregor

WEAR: Thom Browne

WHO: Chlöe Bailey

WEAR: Christian Siriano

Fringe was everywhere—in every cut, color, and silhouette. Lili Reinhart’s strapless Monse dress was among the most memorable of the evening, with silver fringe that cascaded from a sequined bodice. Brandy Norwood kept things minimalist in a crisp white button-down and a black fringed miniskirt. This is a trend with range, whether it’s a touch of texture or a full fringe moment.

WHO: Lili Reinhart

WEAR: Monse

WHO: Monica Arnold

WEAR: Cult Gaia

WHO: Stella Hanan

WEAR: SIMKHAI

In lieu of a singular color trend, graphic black-and-white ensembles dominated. Naomi Osaka, who presented the American Accessory Designer of the Year award, chose a polka-dot number, as did Rose Byrne, while Ashley Graham and Grace Ann Nader both opted for tuxedo-inspired black-and-white separates. Le Smoking was a major trend we reported on from the fall 2026 runways, and these looks showed just how well it translates to the red carpet.

WHO: Brandy Norwood

WEAR: Sergio Hudson

WHO: Rose Byrne

WEAR: Carolina Herrera

WHO: Grace Ann Nader

WEAR: Rebecca Minkoff

One accessory did the heaviest lifting: the simple but impactful stole. Between Gracie Abrams in a Colleen Allen gown with a long panel of fabric draped over one arm and the dramatic, fluffy mustard-yellow feather boa by Luar and worn by legendary image architect Law Roach, or Brooks Nader hooded in a whimsical scarved Christopher Esber ensemble , these dramatic wraps transformed many looks on the carpet.

WHO: Law Roach

WEAR: Luar

WHO: Gracie Abrams

WEAR: Colleen Allen

WHO: Brooks Nader

WEAR: Christopher Esber

It was impossible not to notice the night’s dominant trend: gold. Gilded finishes and metallic hues stole the show. Hailey Bieber and Zoë Kravitz both wore looks from Anthony Vaccarello’s final Saint Laurent collection in honor of the designer, who received the International Designer of the Year award. Meanwhile, Palmer and PinkPantheress both made a case for gilding in a vintage gold Bob Mackie gown and a two-piece skirt set, respectively.

WHO: Hailey Bieber

WEAR: Saint Laurent

WHO: Keke Palmer

WEAR: Archival Bob Mackie

WHO: Zoë Kravitz

WEAR: Saint Laurent