The CFDA Fashion Awards, held every year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), have found their winners. The ceremony took place on the evening of Monday 2 November 2026 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Actress Keke Palmer hosted the ceremony, for which Amazon Fashion was the main sponsor.
The winners of the evening’s four competitive categories were announced on stage, while the recipients of the honorary awards had been announced weeks earlier. According to Vogue, the museum hosted the ceremony for the fourth year in a row. The dinner and awards portion took place in the Hall of Ocean Life, where a giant blue whale model hangs from the ceiling.
The winners in the four main categories
The heart of the CFDA awards is the four “designer of the year” categories. The CFDA announced the nominees in September, but the winners were revealed on the night of the ceremony. The lists published by Fashionista and Vogue match the CFDA’s official nominee list exactly:
- American Womenswear Designer of the Year: Rachel Scott (Diotima). Other nominees: Catherine Holstein (Khaite), Michael Kors, Tory Burch and Wes Gordon (Carolina Herrera).
- American Menswear Designer of the Year: Ralph Lauren. Other nominees: Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne (Public School New York). Thom Browne, Todd Snyder and Willy Chavarria were also nominated.
- American Accessory Designer of the Year: Ana Khouri. Other nominees: Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen (The Row), Raul Lopez (Luar). Sophie Buhai and Stuart Vevers (Coach) were also nominated.
- Google American Emerging Designer of the Year: Colleen Allen. Other nominees: Emily Dawn Long, Julia Ferentinos (Juju Vera). Julian Louie (Aubero) and Zane Li (Lii) were also nominated.
In womenswear, the award went to Rachel Scott, known for her own label Diotima. In menswear, meanwhile, Ralph Lauren, one of the best-known names in American fashion, won, finishing ahead of strong nominees such as Thom Browne and Willy Chavarria.
Honorary awards: the work beyond design
Every year the CFDA rewards not only collections but also the different professions that keep the fashion ecosystem going. This year’s honorary list shows just how broad the industry is:
- International Designer of the Year: Anthony Vaccarello. The CFDA highlighted his decade at Saint Laurent and emphasised the global impact he has brought to the house.
- Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award: Photographer duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The CFDA emphasised that, with work spanning nearly forty years, they have shaped the visual language of contemporary fashion photography.
- Positive Change Award: Tory Burch. The reason: providing women entrepreneurs with access to capital, education and mentoring through her foundation.
- Founder’s Award in honour of Eleanor Lambert: Linda Fargo, known for her thirty years at Bergdorf Goodman.
- Media Award in honour of Eugenia Sheppard: Eva Chen, who brings fashion and technology together in her role at Meta.
- Isabel Toledo Board of Directors’ Tribute: Susan Cianciolo. Her RUN collection is based on handwork, reuse and repair, and is one of the early examples of sustainable fashion.
- Fashion Icon Award: Architect Peter Marino, who designs store spaces for houses such as Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton.
- Amazon Fashion Innovation Award: Gap Inc., the parent company of the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Athleta brands.
Why it matters
The CFDA awards are like a report card the American fashion industry gives itself. Industry professionals choose the nominees and winners by vote. That is why the list serves as a reliable compass showing whom a season has brought to the fore. Three trends stand out in this year’s results.
First, established names and independent designers can compete on the same stage. A relatively young brand like Diotima won the womenswear award for the second time, achieving this success against a giant company like Ralph Lauren. This shows that size alone is not decisive.
Second, the competition in the emerging designer category. Zane Li won the 300,000-dollar CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in October, while Emily Dawn Long placed second in the same fund. The title of emerging designer of the year, however, went to Colleen Allen. In other words, young designers have not just one path but several complementary support mechanisms.
Finally, the honorary list stretches from a photographer to an architect, from a retail executive to the head of fashion at a technology company. Fashion is now born not only on the runway, but also in imagery, in the store experience and on digital platforms.
The view from Turkey
Turkey still lacks a permanent awards system. Such a system would reward the designer, the photographer, the stylist and the retailer on the same night, and would be based on the industry’s own vote. The CFDA model offers a concrete example of how we could fill this gap. The model includes an open nominee list, honorary awards with stated reasons and a separate fund that provides young designers with money and mentoring. Those curious about the professions behind the runway can take a look at our guide to what it takes to become a model. For upcoming shows, see our Fashion Week Calendar 2026–2027 page.
Why do the CFDA Fashion Awards matter?
The CFDA Fashion Awards, presented by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, are one of the industry’s most closely watched platforms. The awards make visible both the contribution of established brands and the rise of a new generation of designers. That makes them a good indicator for anyone who wants to follow the direction of the industry.
For the council’s work and awards programme, you can also visit the CFDA’s official website. For another major fashion story of the season, we looked at Victoria’s Secret’s runway decision.
Image: A male model walking a white runway at the William Rast show during New York Fashion Week, with audience on both sides. (representative image) — Kris Krug at https://www.flickr.com/photos/kk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Sources
- Fashionista — 2026 CFDA winners list
- Vogue — 2026 CFDA awards, winners and honorees
- CFDA — 2026 nominees and honorees (official announcement)
- CFDA — 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund result