Taylor Swift arrived in baby blue Dior, and Kim Kardashian wore a Balenciaga gown made in 1951. Those two looks set the tone for the Academy Museum Gala 2026 on Saturday night in Los Angeles, where much of the red carpet looked back to 1950s Hollywood. Here are the best looks, as reported by Vanity Fair, Vogue, and WWD.
The night at a glance
The sixth annual gala took place on Saturday, October 17, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. WWD noted that the event launched in 2021 to celebrate the museum’s opening. This year’s co-chairs were Tom Ford, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg, and Kate Capshaw.
Three honorees took the stage. Charlize Theron received the Icon Award, John Carpenter the Luminary Award, and Colman Domingo the Vantage Award. Swift also performed, and Vanity Fair reported that it was the first live performance of “The Fate of Ophelia.”
The Academy Museum Gala 2026 trends
Across the reviews, three ideas came up again and again. First, the 1950s. WWD’s Alex Badia wrote that “the red carpet leaned into 50s Hollywood glamour, with pastels emerging as one of the night’s defining trends.” Vogue’s Christian Allaire described the best-dressed guests in similar terms, writing that they “leaned into classic Hollywood glamour.”
Second, pastels. Baby blue, pink, and pale green appeared on several of the night’s most discussed looks, as WWD noted.
Third, black and white. Vanity Fair’s José Criales-Unzueta wrote that the two shades dominated the carpet, worn by guests from Kendall Jenner to Hunter Schafer.
Much of the red carpet looked back to 1950s Hollywood.
Taylor Swift in Dior by Jonathan Anderson
Swift wore a custom Dior gown by Jonathan Anderson, according to Vanity Fair, which reported that Anderson made the dress for her wedding to Travis Kelce earlier this year. WWD described the look as baby blue and said it “channeled the Hitchcock glamour of To Catch a Thief.” Because she also performed that night, the look carried extra attention. For more on the designers behind the night, see our Paris Fashion Week Spring 2027 takeaways.
Teyana Taylor in Schiaparelli
Vanity Fair singled out Teyana Taylor in “sculpted” Schiaparelli couture, a dress that walked the runway in Paris earlier this summer. The magazine called its color “similarly hued” to Alexa Demie’s aquamarine Chanel, so the dress joined the night’s pastel story.
The vintage moments
Vintage had a strong showing at the Academy Museum Gala 2026, which suited an event held at a film museum.
Kim Kardashian in 1951 Balenciaga
Kardashian wore a vintage Balenciaga gown from 1951, styled by Law Roach, according to Vanity Fair. WWD also listed it among the night’s vintage looks.
Odessa A’zion in Giorgio Armani
WWD named Odessa A’zion as another guest in vintage, wearing Giorgio Armani. As a result, two archive pieces from very different houses shared the same carpet.
Black and white on the carpet
Kendall Jenner wore custom Valentino by Alessandro Michele with polka dots, Vanity Fair reported. Hunter Schafer chose Prada. Meanwhile, Mia Goth wore a black sequined Dior dress, according to Vogue.
Pastels and the 1950s mood
Gemma Chan wore pink Prada in a shade WWD compared to Gwyneth Paltrow’s 1999 Oscars dress. Alexa Demie chose Chanel, which WWD called light green. Vanity Fair described the custom dress by Matthieu Blazy as a callback to Cher. Together with Swift’s baby blue, these looks made the pastel trend easy to see.
Designer debuts and new names
The night also gave a few new creative directors a stage. WWD reported that Elizabeth Debicki wore Antonin Tron’s first Hollywood red-carpet look for Balmain. It also pointed to the peplums and 3-D embellishment of Nicolas Ghesquière’s Louis Vuitton on Chase Infiniti and Sophie Thatcher.
In addition, Vanity Fair noted Milo Quifes in Celine by Michael Rider and Sarah Paulson in Ferragamo by Maximilian Davis. Ana de Armas also wore Louis Vuitton, the publication reported.
Chanel by Matthieu Blazy
Chanel had a busy night. Cole Escola wore a Chanel dress from Blazy’s 2025 Métiers d’Art collection, styled by David Moses, according to Vanity Fair. Hailey Bieber and A$AP Rocky also wore Chanel, Vogue reported, as did Demie. For more on the designer, read our profile of Matthieu Blazy’s first year at Chanel.
More of the best dressed
Vogue’s list added several more names. Naomi Ackie wore a purple strapless Balenciaga gown, and Maya Hawke a crystal Prada column. Elle Fanning chose Valentino, Tracee Ellis Ross wore Balenciaga, and Greta Lee wore Dior. Honoree Colman Domingo also wore Valentino.
Vanity Fair, for its part, highlighted Whitney Peak in Diotima by Rachel Scott, Monica Barbaro in Armani Privé, and Eiza González in Ralph Lauren.
The honorees
Charlize Theron, the night’s Icon Award honoree, wore Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann, according to Vogue. That choice tied neatly to Tom Ford’s role as a co-chair. Vogue also listed Jacob Elordi in Bottega Veneta.
The house scorecard
Counting the Academy Museum Gala 2026 looks named across the three reviews shows which houses dressed the most guests. The tally below covers only the looks cited in Vanity Fair, Vogue, and WWD, so it is a snapshot, not a full count.
- Dior: Taylor Swift, Mia Goth, and Greta Lee.
- Chanel: Cole Escola, Alexa Demie, Hailey Bieber, and A$AP Rocky.
- Balenciaga: Naomi Ackie and Tracee Ellis Ross, plus Kim Kardashian in vintage.
- Prada: Hunter Schafer, Maya Hawke, and Gemma Chan.
- Louis Vuitton: Chase Infiniti, Sophie Thatcher, and Ana de Armas.
- Valentino: Kendall Jenner, Elle Fanning, and Colman Domingo.
In other words, Chanel led this tally, and the other big Paris and Milan houses split the rest fairly evenly. Dior, Balenciaga, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Valentino each placed three looks on the lists, if you count Kardashian’s archive piece for Balenciaga. Meanwhile, Tom Ford, under Haider Ackermann, dressed the night’s Icon Award honoree.
How to borrow the Academy Museum Gala 2026 looks
Designers build red carpet gowns for the cameras, but the ideas behind them translate easily to real life. Here is how to take each Academy Museum Gala 2026 trend off the carpet.
Try one pastel
Swift’s baby blue and Chan’s pink both worked because the color carried the whole look. So pick one soft shade, such as a pale blue slip dress or a blush blouse, and keep the rest of the outfit quiet. Pastels also pair well with silver jewelry and a neutral shoe.
Go graphic in black and white
Jenner’s polka dots proved that black and white can be playful as well as formal. For daytime, a polka-dot skirt or a white shirt with black trousers gives the same contrast. At night, a black sequined piece, like Goth’s Dior, needs nothing more than a simple heel.
Shop vintage with a plan
Kardashian’s 1951 Balenciaga is a museum-level piece, but vintage shopping works at every price point. Start with a decade you love, then look for strong construction and clean seams. A good tailor can adjust the fit, which matters more with older clothes.
Add one 1950s detail
WWD pointed to peplums at Louis Vuitton. A peplum top, a full midi skirt, or a fitted waist all borrow from the decade without turning into costume. Pair any of them with a red or soft pink lip for the full effect.
What the Academy Museum Gala 2026 tells us
The Academy Museum Gala 2026 reads as a preview of the awards season to come. Old Hollywood references, vintage gowns, and soft color all photographed well, and several houses used the night to show new designers on a major carpet. Next, watch whether the pastel trend carries into the winter red carpets. For more red carpet and runway coverage, visit our Style section.
Academy Museum Gala 2026 questions, answered
When was the Academy Museum Gala 2026?
It took place on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
Who were the honorees?
Charlize Theron received the Icon Award, John Carpenter the Luminary Award, and Colman Domingo the Vantage Award.
What did Taylor Swift wear to the gala?
She wore custom baby blue Dior by Jonathan Anderson, according to Vanity Fair and WWD.
What were the main red carpet trends?
WWD pointed to 1950s Hollywood glamour and pastels. Vanity Fair noted that black and white dominated.
Who wore vintage?
Kim Kardashian wore 1951 Balenciaga, and Odessa A’zion wore vintage Giorgio Armani, according to WWD.
The gown to remember is Swift’s baby blue Dior, the one WWD compared to To Catch a Thief.