What celebrities wore to the 2026 Emmys red carpet

Television’s Biggest Night Brought Polished Style to Los Angeles

Sandego.net – The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards opened awards season on Monday, bringing television’s leading performers and creators to the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. While the event offered an early indication of the fashion mood that may carry through to the Oscars next March, the evening was defined less by dramatic experimentation than by composed, carefully considered red-carpet dressing.

There was no single dominant shade, silhouette or design house. Instead, the blue carpet offered a broad survey of modern formalwear: metallic gowns, architectural draping, sharply tailored black looks and relaxed reinterpretations of classic menswear. Celebrity stylists returned to a busy awards-season calendar with a selection of outfits that often felt understated at first glance, yet revealed striking details on closer inspection.

Metallic drama and sculptural glamour

Megan Stalter delivered the night’s most literal interpretation of Emmy-themed dressing. The “Hacks” actor arrived dressed as an Emmy statuette, turning the awards symbol into an exuberant fashion statement. Her playful approach stood apart from an otherwise restrained overall mood.

Gold appeared in a more conventional, though still luminous, form on Selena Gomez. Her sparkling Louis Vuitton chainmail gown offered a sleek use of metallic texture, balancing the reflective finish with a refined, streamlined effect. The look showed how a high-shine fabric can feel elegant rather than costume-like when paired with a simple silhouette.

Black also proved to be a key route to impact. Odessa A’zion wore a skirt suit finished with fringe, bringing movement and texture to a dark tailored ensemble. Keri Russell chose a floor-length leather gown by Khaite, demonstrating that a head-to-toe black look can still feel fresh when the material and cut do the visual work.

Asymmetry took several forms

One-shoulder dressing emerged as one of the evening’s clearest recurring ideas, though it appeared in many distinct versions. Lukita Maxwell, the “Shrinking” actor, wore a voluminous champagne-colored Louis Vuitton gown held by a substantial gathered taffeta strap. The concentrated detail at the shoulder gave the expansive skirt a strong focal point.

Quinta Brunson took a more illusionistic approach in Christian Cowan. Her gown appeared to be sliding off one shoulder, creating a sense of movement and spontaneity despite the construction being securely supported with nude tulle. The design offered a theatrical interpretation of asymmetry without sacrificing red-carpet polish.

Other guests explored uneven lines beyond the classic one-shoulder format. Kristen Bell’s Alberta Ferretti cape introduced a delicate, flowing element to her appearance, while Cynthia Nixon wore a sculptural Issey Miyake creation that emphasized shape and structure. Both outfits expanded the evening’s interest in asymmetry, showing that an off-center composition can be soft, dramatic or architectural.

Red, lilac and enduring monochrome

The carpet did not settle on one color story. Bright red made several memorable appearances, with Mariska Hargitay and Niecy Nash among those choosing the saturated hue. Rhea Seehorn’s red gown was especially graceful, bringing a more classic sense of evening glamour to the color.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, pale and airy tones created a lighter visual mood. Florence Pugh wore custom Vivienne Westwood in lilac, joining several stars who selected variations on the soft purple shade. These breezier colors provided a contrast to the dramatic blacks and gleaming golds seen elsewhere.

Black-and-white dressing remained a reliable red-carpet formula. Dakota Fanning wore Carolina Herrera, while “White Lotus” star Beatrice Grannò chose Vivienne Westwood. Their two-tone looks reflected the continued appeal of monochrome contrast, a styling approach that can feel traditional in color yet modern in execution.

Men’s fashion moved beyond the standard tuxedo

The men attending the Emmys also embraced a wider range of formal options. Embroidered suits, now a familiar sight at major events, were worn with confidence by Jeff Hiller and Alan Cumming. Their choices added decorative detail to tailoring without abandoning the ceremony’s formal setting.

Oscar Isaac, dressed in Celine, and Noah Wyle, in Brunello Cucinelli, both gave black-tie style a lighter interpretation. Their looks suggested that formal eveningwear need not depend exclusively on dark shades to retain its sense of occasion.

Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Stalter’s “Hacks” co-star, took the most unconventional menswear route of the night. His cropped jacket and trailing train dismantled the expected tuxedo proportions, resulting in a fashion-forward alternative that still carried the drama suited to an awards ceremony.

A Measured Start to the Awards-Season Fashion Calendar

The Emmys did not present a single trend powerful enough to define the months ahead. Instead, the night made a case for individual interpretation: leather could be elegant, metallics could be restrained, and classic tailoring could become expressive through embroidery, proportion or color. The strongest appearances were not necessarily the loudest ones, but those that used texture, construction and styling with purpose.

As the awards circuit continues toward next year’s Oscars, the Peacock Theater carpet offered an early reminder that memorable fashion does not always require excess. Whether through a lilac Vivienne Westwood gown, a fringed black suit, a sculptural Issey Miyake design or a reimagined tuxedo, the 2026 Emmys celebrated a broad and confident range of red-carpet possibilities.