2026 CFDA Awards: Palmer’s Vintage Gown Among Best Looks
The 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards brought vintage glamour, bold tailoring and familiar red-carpet formulas to New York. Keke Palmer wore a gold Bob Mackie gown…
At the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York City on Monday night, Keke Palmer wore a gold Bob Mackie gown created in 1975, while Emily Ratajkowski’s casual-looking outfit landed among the night’s misses. The 5 best 3 worst looks show how vintage design, careful tailoring and a sense of occasion shaped the red carpet.
The event took place at the American Museum of Natural History. Some attendees reached for pieces with a fashion history; others wore modern designs, and a few outfits seemed too everyday for an awards ceremony.
5 best 3 worst: which looks stood out?
Palmer’s gown carried a story before she even stepped onto the carpet. Bob Mackie originally designed the gold halter-neck piece for Raquel Welch in 1975, and Welch wore it on “The Cher Show.” Mackie died in September.
On Palmer, the vintage dress looked made for the moment. Its gold color complemented her skin and vibrant hair, while the close fit gave the archival design a polished presence.
Chloe Bailey went in a more theatrical direction. The musician wore a sheer black Christian Siriano design with a high neckline and long sleeves. Tulle ruffles trimmed the neck, wrists and skirt hem, with tan feathers adding texture to each detail.
It made an impression. The outfit leaned into high fashion rather than restraint, giving Bailey one of the evening’s more distinctive red-carpet moments.
Travis Scott showed the appeal of a cleanly cut suit. His black satin set paired pleated trousers with a double-breasted jacket and a leather top. Diamond earrings, dark sunglasses and leather dress shoes added contrast without crowding the look.
Allison Janney took a louder approach. Her hot-pink Christian Siriano ensemble featured a high neckline, shoulder pads and cape-style detailing down each arm. The dramatic shape could have overwhelmed the look, but its vivid color gave Janney’s appearance a playful edge.
Pamela Anderson offered a quieter kind of occasion dressing in a black Carolina Herrera halter dress. The ankle-length skirt and fitted waist were finished with sparkling feather fringe at the neckline. Embellished heels, a satin clutch and red lipstick completed the styling.
Why did some outfits miss the mark?
Ratajkowski paired a black long-sleeved sweater with a bright orange low-rise skirt and pointed leather boots with skinny heels. The combination read more like a New York fall outing than clothing chosen for a major fashion awards ceremony.
The issue was the setting. At a red-carpet event, a deliberately casual outfit can look out of place when it does not add a clear point of view. Ratajkowski’s mix of separate pieces lacked the occasion-specific polish visible in the night’s stronger looks.
Ashley Graham’s black-and-white two-piece, custom-made by Esque/By, had more inventive construction but less impact. The set paired high-waisted black trousers with a deconstructed button-down shirt remade as a strapless, bralette-style top. The trousers fit well, and the top offered an unusual idea, yet the overall look did not stand out.
Shaboozey wore a white top and matching vest beneath a cream-colored blazer, with distressed jeans, leather flats and white socks. A large brass-and-turquoise belt buckle and a statement bolo tie added detail. But the country star’s familiar style made the outfit feel less like a fashion risk at a fashion-focused event.
That contrast is what made the evening’s strongest outfits work: Palmer’s vintage gown had a documented history, Bailey’s design committed to its dramatic details, and Scott’s suit relied on fit and restraint. The less successful looks either felt too casual or did not make enough of their ideas. For red-carpet watchers, the choices offered a clear split between clothes that suited the occasion and clothes that could have belonged to an ordinary night out.
