The 2026 Academy Museum Gala brought together some of Hollywood’s biggest names in Los Angeles on 17 October, with a red carpet that ranged from sculptural couture to sharply tailored eveningwear. Now in its sixth year, the annual fundraiser supports the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and its exhibitions, screenings and educational programmes.
Co-chaired by Tom Ford, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, the evening honoured Charlize Theron with the Icon Award, John Carpenter with the Luminary Award and Colman Domingo with the Vantage Award. Taylor Swift also attended and performed during the event.
Balenciaga’s dramatic proportions, Schiaparelli’s sculptural construction and Prada’s crystal embellishment were among the evening’s notable fashion statements. Dior, Chanel, Valentino and Louis Vuitton were also represented, alongside Standing Ground’s distinctive approach to eveningwear.
From Naomi Ackie’s purple Balenciaga gown to Teyana Taylor’s pale blue Schiaparelli design, these were 12 of the standout looks from the 2026 Academy Museum Gala.
Naomi Ackie in Balenciaga
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Naomi Ackie wore a strapless purple Balenciaga gown with a tiered, voluminous silhouette. Layers of fabric extended outwards from the fitted bodice, creating a dramatic shape that stood apart from the evening’s more streamlined dresses.
The saturated purple colour emphasised the gown’s proportions, while Boucheron jewellery completed the look. With little need for additional embellishment, the construction of the dress remained its defining feature.
Taylor Swift in Dior
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Taylor Swift chose a pale blue Dior gown with a flowing silhouette. The light fabric and soft colour gave the dress a romantic quality, providing a contrast to the heavily embellished and structured looks elsewhere on the red carpet.
She paired the gown with Chopard jewellery. Swift was also part of the evening’s programme, performing for guests following the presentation of the gala’s awards.
Charlize Theron in Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann
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Charlize Theron wore a custom Tom Ford design by Haider Ackermann, continuing the designer’s association with precise, contemporary eveningwear. The outfit was styled with Boucheron jewellery, bringing together the fashion house’s tailoring-led aesthetic and fine jewellery.
Theron was one of the evening’s three honourees, receiving the Icon Award in recognition of her contribution to cinema.
Maya Hawke in Prada
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Maya Hawke opted for a crystal-embellished Prada column gown. The slim silhouette allowed the reflective detailing to take centre stage, creating visual interest without relying on dramatic volume.
The dress offered a more streamlined interpretation of formal eveningwear, with its clean shape providing a contrast to the larger, sculptural gowns seen throughout the evening.
Mia Goth in Dior
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Mia Goth wore a black sequinned Dior gown with a close-fitting silhouette. The dark fabric and reflective finish brought texture to an otherwise simple design, drawing attention to the dress’s elongated shape.
Goth completed the look with Dior fine jewellery. The combination of black sequins and minimal volume gave her appearance a restrained elegance.
Elle Fanning in Valentino
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Elle Fanning wore a custom Valentino gown with a butterfly-embroidered bodice, a multicoloured pastel skirt and a coordinating cape. The wing-like detailing at the bodice introduced a sculptural element, while the softly coloured fabric gave the design a lighter finish.
She completed the look with Cartier jewellery. The combination of intricate embroidery and flowing fabric made the dress one of the evening’s more elaborate interpretations of romantic eveningwear.
Hailey Bieber in Chanel
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Hailey Bieber chose a custom bubblegum-pink Chanel column gown, decorated with delicate floral beading. Its narrow silhouette kept the focus on the colour and surface detailing, rather than volume or an elaborate train.
She wore custom Manolo Blahnik shoes with the dress. The bright pink shade and restrained embellishment gave the look a distinctive presence on a red carpet dominated by both darker eveningwear and sculptural couture.
Greta Lee in Dior
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Greta Lee wore a Dior Haute Couture autumn/winter 2026–27 gown made from draped white silk chiffon, fully embroidered with a skyscape-inspired sequin motif. Layers of sequinned fringe added movement, while an oversized eucalyptus flower at the hip interrupted the otherwise elongated silhouette.
The frayed edges and dense embroidery gave the dress a richly textured finish. Lee paired the look with Tiffany & Co. jewellery, allowing the craftsmanship and sculptural floral detail to remain the main focus.
Teyana Taylor in Schiaparelli
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Teyana Taylor wore Schiaparelli couture in a pale blue design featuring a sculptural bustier and a sheer skirt decorated with floral details. The structured upper half contrasted with the transparency and softness of the skirt, creating one of the evening’s most distinctive silhouettes.
The design reflected Schiaparelli’s emphasis on the body as a starting point for couture construction, using shape and ornamentation to create a dress that was both architectural and delicate.
Wunmi Mosaku in Louis Vuitton
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Wunmi Mosaku wore a metallic gold Louis Vuitton bustier gown, covered in overlapping embellishments and fringe. The structured bodice gave the dress a defined shape, while the metallic strands added texture and movement through the skirt.
She completed the look with diamond jewellery from Louis Vuitton’s Pure V High Jewellery collection. The contrast between the armour-like bodice and fluid fringe made the gown one of the evening’s strongest examples of decorative construction.
Colman Domingo in Valentino
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Colman Domingo wore custom Valentino, choosing a sequinned jacket that brought shine and texture to formal tailoring. The look continued his approach to red-carpet menswear, where traditional suiting is often reinterpreted through colour, embellishment and distinctive styling.
Domingo accessorised with Boucheron jewellery. He received the Vantage Award during the ceremony, recognising his contribution to cinema and his ability to challenge conventional perspectives through his work.
Demi Moore in Standing Ground
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Demi Moore wore a black and lavender gown from Standing Ground’s autumn/winter 2026 couture collection. The sculptural design used contrasting colours and carefully shaped fabric to create an unconventional silhouette, reflecting the label’s focus on the relationship between clothing and the body.
Moore completed the look with Chopard jewellery. The architectural construction made the gown a distinctive choice among the evening’s more traditional formalwear.
