Taylor Swift Leads the Best and Worst Looks at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala
Hollywood's biggest stars brought their boldest fashion to the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala on Saturday, and not every look landed.
The star-studded fundraiser was held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. The night honored Charlize Theron with the Icon Award, John Carpenter with the Luminary Award and Colman Domingo with the Vantage Award, W Magazine reported. Taylor Swift closed out the evening with a performance.
From floral fantasies to fairy-tale wings, here are five of the best looks of the night and three that missed the mark.
The Best Looks
Taylor Swift in Dior: Swift gave the carpet a fairy-tale moment in a strapless, icy-blue Dior gown with a softly ruched bodice, a sparkling bow at the neckline, a finely pleated skirt and a dramatic train. The look was designed by Dior creative director Jonathan Anderson, who also designed the custom gown she wore when she married Travis Kelce in July, according to Parade. She finished the look with Chopard diamonds, including platinum earrings with more than 32 carats of diamonds, and soft, half-up curls.
Greta Lee in Dior: The actress, who served on the gala's host committee, wore a fully beaded blue Dior gown finished with an oversized white pom-pom flower on the hip. The playful detail swayed as she moved, Bustle noted.
Kim Kardashian in vintage Balenciaga: Kardashian went full Old Hollywood in an archival 1951 Cristóbal Balenciaga haute couture gown. The strapless design featured pearl-studded embroidery, a draped bodice and a long train falling from a bow. She paired it with a sculpted updo, a 55.8-carat Leviev diamond necklace and diamond earrings. Red Carpet Fashion Awards called the look, styled by Law Roach, "a reset" from her usual edgier gala style.
Elle Fanning in Valentino: Fanning leaned into whimsy with a custom multicolored pastel Valentino gown featuring a winged bodice, paired with Cartier jewelry.
Hailey Bieber in Chanel: Bieber kept it simple and elegant in a baby pink Chanel column gown. She was part of a soft pink trend on the carpet, with Emily Bader wearing a similar baby pink column gown by Giorgio Armani and Gemma Chan choosing a baby pink Prada gown with a sleek cutout and train.
Other standouts included Amandla Stenberg in a plunging Zimmermann dress covered in lifelike butterflies and Chase Infiniti in a graphic black-and-white Louis Vuitton gown with an exaggerated pleated peplum.
The Looks That Missed the Mark
Not every outfit won over fashion critics. Here are three looks that drew mixed reviews.
Tracee Ellis Ross in Balenciaga: Ross is usually a red carpet favorite, but her orange gown with marigold-style garlands, an extra pom-pom on the shoulder, a train and see-through heels did not impress everyone. Glam said the garlands looked cheap and were "arranged lazily."
Rhea Seehorn in Balenciaga couture: The actress wore a hybrid look that mixed a black furry bottom, a puffy white train and a blazer. Glam called the combination "sartorial sabotage," saying the pieces did not come together and the blazer did not fit well.
Sarah Paulson in Ferragamo: Paulson chose a sequined two-piece with an unusual gap at the chest. Glam wrote that while sequins and two-pieces can each work on their own, they were combined "in the worst way possible" here.
Fashion is subjective, of course, and plenty of fans loved some of the night's riskier choices. Glam also included Theron's sheer, unlined gown and Teyana Taylor's look on its worst-dressed list, while Bustle praised Taylor's cotton-candy-blue breastplate and floral appliqué skirt as a highlight.
Inside the Gala
The gala serves as a major fundraiser for the Academy Museum and kicks off the run-up to awards season. This year's co-chairs were Tom Ford, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, according to TheWrap, and Rolex served as the presenting partner.
Swift's performance came as she seeks eligibility for the 99th Academy Awards in March 2027 with her "Toy Story 5" song, "I Knew It, I Knew You." Academy Museum Director and President Amy Homma called her "an extraordinary talent whose work resonates around the world."
The guest list was packed with A-listers, including Kendall Jenner in Valentino, Sabrina Carpenter in Giorgio Armani Privé, Jacob Elordi in Bottega Veneta and Demi Moore, who served on the host committee.
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