2026 CFDA Awards: Best and Worst-Dressed Celebrities Ranked

New York’s American Museum of Natural History took on a glamorous new look as fashion’s biggest names gathered for the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Awards.

The high-profile ceremony celebrates American design talent, yet several red-carpet appearances divided opinion. Lola Tung’s Coach gown and Carrie Coon’s strapless look were among the outfits critics felt failed to make the desired impact.

Pamela Anderson and Lila Moss, however, delivered standout style moments as guests arrived for the event, which recognises the leading designers and fashion innovators of the year.

Four major competitive prizes are presented during the ceremony, honouring designers of women’s and men’s clothing, accessories and emerging fashion talent.

Hailey Bieber attended the New York celebration to support Yves Saint Laurent, appearing on the red carpet beside the brand’s designer, Anthony Vaccarello.

Her embellished gold gown featured a dramatic front slit and fur trim, but Reddit users were quick to criticise the detail, with some calling it “atrocious.”

Carrie Coon also attracted mixed reactions in a blue strapless gown. The 45-year-old The Gilded Age actress wore a mini-dress beneath a sheer layer, finished with a sweeping train that gave the look a somewhat dated red-carpet feel.

She paired the outfit with matching suede heels, creating a single-tone finish that did little to lift the overall ensemble.

Lola Tung, usually praised for her adventurous fashion choices, opted for a noticeably more restrained look at this year’s CFDA Awards.

The Summer I Turned Pretty star, who serves as a global Coach ambassador, wore a custom creation by designer Stuart Vevers. Some fans felt the full-length black leather gown looked flat and lacked the impact expected from the young fashion favourite.

Meadow Walker was also among the guests at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards. The 27-year-old is the daughter of the late actor Paul Walker.

She took a bold approach in a textured yellow suit made up of a blazer and ankle-length skirt, though one Instagram commenter criticised the fabric as looking “cheap.”

Lili Reinhart’s shimmering Monse outfit prompted comparisons to the kind of theatrical costume seen on Strictly Come Dancing.

The asymmetric dress combined a strapless neckline and nude-toned bodice with a glittering silver fringe hem, which some social media users likened to “dollar store” party decorations.

Writing on Reddit, one person wrote: ‘I cannot decide how I feel about this. I kind of like the concept, but the colours are discordant and the silver fringe reminds me of cheap tinsel garland.’ 

American actress Julia Fox went all out in a cartographic creation from nominee Miss Claire Sullivan that was fashioned from white tulle and New York City subway maps in a tribute to the city where the awards were held. 

Fans said they ‘couldn’t stop staring’ at the dress, which Julia accessorised with a tiny tiara and blue open-toe sandals. 

‘She will always be the weird fashion girl and thank god for that,’ one Reddit user wrote. 

American singer Chloe Bailey walked the red carpet in a see-through Christian Siriano gown that fans voted a miss. 

While her undergarments were completely visible through the sheer dress, some also felt that the feather and fur detail on the sleeves, neck and hemline complicated the design unnecessarily. 

‘There was really no need for this to be sheer to begin with,’ one person on Reddit added. 

Brooks Nader also chose a daring look. The Baywatch actress, who is known for her risque looks, walked the red carpet in a hooded, black and white mesh gown through which her undergarments were visible. 

Lindsey Vonn was also in attendance at yesterday’s awards ceremony that celebrated the best in fashion design, with the Olympian opting to wear a Gabriela Hearst creation for the occasion. 

The opulent silk maxi dress featured elongated sleeves and a softly draped high neckline, with a cascading macrame fringe – running from shoulder to hem – that not everyone was a fan of. 

The daughter of Ewan McGregor, Esther McGregor picked one of the most unconventional looks of the night.  

Her Thom Browne ensemble felt an outrageous take on a typical men’s suit and consisted of a sleeveless white collared shirt, striped tie and  tailored vest that bloomed into a massive white skirt with black geometric detailing.  

Esther wasn’t the only nepo baby whose CFDAs look drew mixed responses; the granddaughter of iconic Hollywood star Jack Lemmon, Sydney, wore a pair of bedazzled red knickers over a black statement blazer by Emily Dawn Long. 

American model Indya Moore’s fluffy yellow dress from New York-based label Diotima had too many disparate details – from silver hardware on the right shoulder strap to a khaki mesh panel on the waist –  to make a compelling case for the red carpet. 

Allison Janney towered over the rest of last night’s attendees in sky-high pink stilletos that she wore with a bright pink, sculptural gown from Christian Siriano. 

The dress featured exaggerated, extra-large sleeves that drew mixed responses online; some praised the ‘fierce’ detail while others said they ‘hated’ it. 

Vera Wang also divided fans with her edgy ensemble, comprising a black bandeau top, maxi skirt and leather trench draped loosely over her shoulders.

The 77-year-old fashion designer accessorised with an eye-popping gold bubble ring and wore her brunette hair in two pigtails that did not complement Vera’s outfit, some felt.

American popstar Megan Thee Stallion put a bold twist on red carpet dressing with the burgundy Kim Shui gown she donned last night. 

Keke Palmer, who was hosting the ceremony, had a ‘little vintage moment’ in a Bob Mackie gown first worn by Raquel Welch more than 50 years ago. 

Speaking to People, the 33-year-old star said Welch wore the dress when she performed with Cher on The Cher Show in 1975. 

The embellished gold halter-neck gown featured a high front slit and a web of waist cutouts that showed off her enviable figure and was ‘perfect on’ Keke, fans said. 

Demi Moore, 63, looked effortlessly stylish in a unique GapStudio halter-neck denim dress designed by Zac Posen, which featured a structured corset-style bodice and a row of buttons running down the front.

The actress paired the look with nude heels and wore her glossy raven tresses cascading down her shoulders in loose curls.

Meanwhile Odyssey star Lupita Nyong’o, 43, flashed her toned tummy in a red crop top and a matching skirt.

Australian actress Rose Byrne’s black-and-white polka-dot gown from Carolina Herrera was also a big hit on yesterday’s red carpet.

The 47-year-old Neighbours star paired the strapless, form-fitting dress with black pumps, statement earrings and a black clutch.

Zoe Kravitz was gilded in gold for the star-studded event as she walked the red carpet in a custom Yves Saint Laurent tea dress. 

The crinkle design featured structural elements that clung to and highlighted her curves. She finished the look with a pair of pointed toe, open-back heels with a metallic gold detail to match her dress. 

Naomi Osaka served red carpet glamour as she joined the star-studded guest lineup at the CFDAs last night. 

The Japanese sports star swapped her tennis whites for a voluminous one-shoulder gown designed by couturier Miss Claire Sullivan. 

Details on the polka-dot dress included a ruched waistline and black bow as Naomi accessorised with diamond jewellery.  

Pamela Anderson was the picture of Old Hollywood glam in a black halter-neck dress also by Carolina Herrera. She coordinated her shoes to match the feather-trimmed neckline and carried a satin, polka-dotted purse to create some visual interest.

Although the 59-year-old Baywatch star typically goes makeup-free, Pamela wore a swipe of pink lipstick and black mascara. She styled her platinum blonde ‘bixie’ cut in voluminous curls for a Monroe-inspired ‘do.

Kate Moss’s daughter Lila Moss proved her red carpet prowess in a strapless black column gown from Juju Vera Studio. 

She added interest with a fringed black and white wrap and delicate silver headpiece to elevate the otherwise simple dress.