The fashion started long before the awards did.

On Monday evening, the American Museum of Natural History became the epicenter of style as designers, Hollywood stars, musicians, and fashion personalities gathered for the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards presented by Amazon Fashion.

The red carpet was anything but predictable. There was Old Hollywood glamour, directional dressing, a healthy dose of fashion irreverence, and, above all, the kind of personal style that makes a look worth remembering.

Demi Moore and Lupita Nyong’o brought serious star power in GapStudio by Zac Posen, while Pamela Anderson opted for the refined elegance of Carolina Herrera. Rose Byrne also wore a look by the house’s creative director Wes Gordon. Emily Ratajkowski and Alexa Chung turned to Tory Burch, whose influence extended well beyond the red carpet as the evening’s recipient of the Positive Change Award.

There was a distinctly Parisian contingent, too. Hailey Bieber, Rosé, Zoë Kravitz, and Anja Rubik arrived in Saint Laurent, a fashionable show of support for Anthony Vaccarello, who received the International Designer of the Year Award. Each brought a different attitude to the house’s unmistakable aesthetic.

Some of the evening’s fashion conversations belonged to the next generation.

Gracie Abrams wore Colleen Allen, who would later take home the Google Shopping American Emerging Designer of the Year Award. Mona Tougaard championed Zane Li’s Lii, and Sydney Lemmon stepped out in Emily Dawn Long.

And then there were the looks that refused to play by the rules.

Tinashe embraced the exuberant color and expressive design language of Christopher John Rogers. Megan Thee Stallion made her entrance in Kim Shui, while Julia Fox and Naomi Osaka each turned to Miss Claire Sullivan. Elle Fanning and PinkPantheress represented Coach, Laufey brought Thom Browne’s singular vision to the evening, and Cole Escola delivered a characteristically distinctive fashion moment in Luar.

The men were hardly content to sit on the sidelines. Matt Damon chose Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Shaboozey wore Ralph Lauren, and Giancarlo Esposito opted for Public School, demonstrating the range of contemporary American menswear.

A great red carpet, after all, isn’t just about who wore what. It’s about what fashion has to say. And on Monday night, it had plenty to say.

Hero Image: Demi Moore in GapStudio by Zac Posen.