The Council of Fashion Designers of America is pleased to announce architect Peter Marino as the 2026 Fashion Icon.
A visionary at the intersection of architecture, art, and fashion, Marino has redefined the luxury retail experience through his design of extraordinary spaces for leading fashion houses, including Armani, Bulgari, Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Zegna, as well as memorable boutiques for Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Barneys New York.
Peter Marino founded his eponymous New York-based design firm in 1978 and is renowned for creating immersive spaces that capture each brand’s unique identity, often incorporating site-specific art commissions. Recent projects include Dior flagships in Milan, Beverly Hills, and New York; Chanel buildings in San Diego and Los Angeles; and Tiffany & Co. flagships in Milan and New York.
Equally distinctive is Marino’s personal style. His signature head-to-toe black leather, biker boots, and dark sunglasses have made him an unmistakable figure in fashion, with an aesthetic as bold and uncompromising as his architectural vision.
An avid art collector and patron, Marino founded the Peter Marino Art Foundation in Southampton, New York, in 2021, showcasing more than 500 works spanning antiquity to the present. He was named a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2012 and an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2017 by the French Ministry of Culture. In 2024, he received the World Monuments Fund’s Hadrian Award.
“Through his extraordinary vision, Peter has transformed architecture into an expression of fashion, creating spaces that are as distinctive and memorable as the designers they represent. His personal style is equally uncompromising, and that authenticity is what makes him a true icon. Peter has never followed convention. He has always defined his own,” Thom Browne, Chairman of the CFDA, said.
“It’s great to be named a Fashion Icon by the CFDA and to be recognized by this unique industry in which I’ve worked for the past 40 years,” Peter Marino said.
Cornelia Guest, actor, entrepreneur, and animal rights advocate with longstanding ties to fashion and art, will present Marino with the award.
The 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards Presented by Amazon Fashion will take place on Monday, November 2, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
In addition to presenting partner Amazon Fashion, supporters of the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards include Google Shopping for the American Emerging Designer of the Year award; M·A·C Cosmetics, Official Beauty Partner, and Krug, Official Champagne Partner. WYouth and Nuuly will present the Student Viewing Section at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards, welcoming current CFDA scholars and fashion students to the ceremony.
