The Best-Dressed Stars at the Academy Museum Gala, aka “The Met Gala of the West”

In five years, the Academy Museum Gala has blossomed from the mishmash of style seen on its opening night in 2021 to a polished evening of haute couture, bespoke tuxedos and plentiful high jewelry, all served up on a blue carpet that was a new addition to the annual fundraiser. The resulting fashion evolution, coupled with the night’s starry crowd and worthy cause, has also spawned a nickname: “The Met Gala of the West.”

That idea extends to some of the overtly artful looks seen Saturday evening, from Rebecca Hall’s sheer tulle bodysuit with an intarsia embellishment depicting a woman’s nude torso and Thom Browne’s spring 2026 collection to Kim Kardashian’s nude-hued corset gown by Maison Margiela, complete with a full face mask that spawned a wealth of social-media commentary. Jenna Ortega’s custom breastplate and skirt by Grace Ling, meanwhile, was lovely but also a tad perplexing, as it felt like an echo of the daring chandelier top and slim skirt the Wednesday star wore to September’s Emmy Awards.

But the forward-thinking fashion decisions, coupled with the October timing of the Academy Museum Gala, places this event squarely in showcase status for Hollywood stylists. The recently completed spring/summer 2026 runway shows unleashed a plethora of new designs perfectly suited to high-profile carpets. Many looks seen at Saturday evening’s gala made their debut just two weeks earlier in Paris. With legendary French fashion houses and their new designers dominating the industry’s news, wearing a gown by a newly anointed designer is a coveted get.

Who wore it best? Among the high-wattage women and men on the Academy Museum Gala blue carpet, we gathered 15 looks that were as beautiful as they were buzz-worthy.

Ayo Edebiri in Chanel

The Matthieu Blazy era at Chanel is underway with a just-announced star alignment: The Bear‘s Ayo Edebiri, unveiled by the house on Oct. 5 as its latest ambassador. Her head-to-toe Chanel look highlighted an embroidered silk and chiffon dress from Blazy’s inaugural collection, revealed in Paris on Oct. 6 with Edebiri in the front row. Also seen in Chanel Saturday night: Kristen Wiig, Lupita Nyong’o and Riley Keough, as well as Penélope Cruz, recipient of the gala’s Icon Award, wearing a custom blush-toned gown embellished with crystal beading and sequins.

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco in Giorgio Armani

The tributes to Giorgio Armani continued at the Academy Museum Gala, with a variety of stars honoring the late designer by wearing looks past and present. Newly married Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco chose the gala for their first post-wedding appearance, with Gomez wearing a Giorgio Armani Privé custom black velvet strapless gown embellished with crystals at the neckline, paired with a black velvet evening jacket and diamond jewelry by De Beers, while Blanco opted for a double-breasted suit in midnight blue, also by Armani, with jewelry by David Yurman. Other stars in vintage Armani looks included Dakota Fanning in a black-and-white floral bustier and full skirt from the designer’s spring 1996 collection and Kerry Washington, whose black silk column gown with fully beaded bodice was from Armani’s spring 2013 collection.

Bowen Yang in Simone Rocha

Honored with the night’s Vantage Award, Bowen Yang flaunted his spotlight-stealing style — his black suit by London-based Simone Rocha featured an allover splash of buttons, an effect that evoked thoughts of buskers, the West End street entertainers who traditionally wore clothes covered in mother-of-pearl buttons as early as the 19th century. Yang finished his look with Jimmy Choo’s Eliot slippers and jewelry by David Yurman.

Monica Barbaro in Dior

In a season teeming with new designers atop iconic fashion houses, wearing a look fresh from the runway emerged as one of the gala’s style trends. Like Edebiri’s Chanel dress by Blazy, Monica Barbaro wore a dress from Dior’s spring 2026 collection, a design from Jonathan Anderson’s first collection for the label. Barbaro’s beautiful white ankle-length dress with a dropped waist and accented with silk flowers and black ribbons reflected both the volume and romance Anderson explored in his debut Dior collection. Barbara wore a minimum of jewels: a pair of earrings featuring emerald-cut diamonds totaling seven carats, by De Beers.

Addison Rae in Atelier Versace

Addison Rae likewise wore a gown from a debut designer — in this case, Dario Vitali’s inaugural collection for Atelier Versace. This look for spring 2026 also ranked high among the gowns that should be viewed up close to get a better look at its handwork, a silver embroidery and beading that required more than 400 hours to complete. The gown’s other key detail was its inverted heart-shaped neckline, a signature from the Versace archives.

Simu Liu in Dolce & Gabbana

Simu Liu is always dapper and well-tailored on carpets, and the Academy Museum Gala was no exception. The actor chose a label that’s worked well for him at past events, Dolce & Gabbana, which outfitted the MCU and Barbie star with the house’s double-breasted Sicilia-fit wool suit, accented with satin lapels and paired with a satin shirt. On his wrist, Liu wore the 40mm Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller in Oystersteel and white gold by Rolex, a sponsor of the Academy Museum Gala.

Kate Hudson in Stella McCartney

Yellow was among the night’s hottest colors, and that includes this butter-hued draped silk column gown worn by Kate Hudson, from Stella McCartney’s summer 2026 collection. Hudson paired the gown with Christian Louboutin’s Miss Z pumps in black patent leather and Chopard jewels, including a ring featuring a 15.33-carat yellow diamond set in 18-carat white and yellow gold.

Demi Moore in Prada

Demi Moore looked positively regal in her Prada gown of burgundy satin, crafted with a constructed bodice and an asymmetrical train in silk georgette that cascaded from her hip. Moore accented her beautifully fit look with a matching satin clutch and high jewelry by Cartier, including a necklace embellished with diamonds and rubies set in platinum.

Jeff Goldblum in ERL

Always a fan of a non-traditional look, Jeff Goldblum wore a tuxedo by ERL, the Venice Beach-based label by Eli Russell Linnetz. ERL enjoyed another recent placement when Frankenstein star Oscar Isaac wore a custom tuxedo by the label to the film’s Los Angeles premiere on October 6, with similarly flared pants. Goldblum’s ensemble for the Academy Museum Gala included a nylon puffer jacket, custom ruffled dress shirt, patent-leather gloves and the label’s sunglasses. Goldblum completed his look with jewelry by Stephen Silver: an emerald and diamond Art Deco estate bracelet and the brand’s Pagoda Jabot Pin, which featured white and yellow diamonds surrounding a portrait-cut emerald totaling 5.74 carats.

Chase Infiniti in Louis Vuitton

One Battle After Another co-star Chase Infiniti looked elegant and ethereal in a pale green custom strapless bustier gown by Louis Vuitton, crafted in silk taffeta with an overstitched-pleating detail. She paired the gown with jewels by Bulgari, including a high jewelry Serpenti necklace featuring diamonds and emeralds set in 18-karat pink gold.

Zoë Kravitz in Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello

Dramatic sleeves and a profusion of ruffles made for an ultra-feminine gown, crafted in a satin-finish technical fabric by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. Against those standout details, Zoë Kravitz kept her jewels spare, wearing only a one-of-a-kind ring by Jessica McCormack, which showcased an 8.73-carat fancy intense yellow diamond set in 18-karat yellow gold.

Channing Tatum in Fendi

Many of the night’s A-list men eschewed a tie in favor of an open-collar look, and among the best was Channing Tatum, who chose a simple white shirt with a single-breasted blazer and matching trousers, both in deep brown wool crepe, by Fendi. The Roofman star wore a vintage 1939 brooch in diamonds set in platinum and gold and the Tiffany Eternity 28mm cushion-shaped watch embellished with diamonds set in white gold, both by Tiffany & Co.

Tessa Thompson in Balenciaga

Texture was another of the night’s key style trends, seen in the feathers of Elle Fanning’s skirt and Naomi Watts’s dress, both from Pierpaolo Piccioli’s debut collection for Balenciaga. Tessa Thompson chose a dress from that same collection, a strapless ankle-length dress that was beautifully shaped and embellished all over with silk yellow daisies. The Marvel star also rocked stud earrings by Shay Jewelry and Christian Louboutin’s So Kate pumps in black patent leather.

Kaia Gerber in Givenchy by Sarah Burton

Palm Royale co-star Kaia Gerber dazzled in a cape-back dress in white Lyon lace, a custom look by Givenchy by Sarah Burton. The gown’s fit and construction were impeccable, from the straight high neckline that set off Gerber’s shoulders to the surprise of the watteau-like positioning of the cape in the back. Gerber capped her look with jewelry by New York-based designer Anna Santangelo.

Jacob Elordi in Bottega Veneta

Double-breasted tuxedos were popular among men attending the Academy Museum Gala, and that includes Frankenstein star Jacob Elordi, who looked crisp in a custom grain de poudre tuxedo with cotton twill shirt and silk bow tie, all by Bottega Veneta. (One complaint: Elordi’s pants puddled around his shoes, also by Bottega Veneta; a bit more of a judicious hem would have benefited the overall look.) A Cartier ambassador, Elordi completed his look with a single earring and ring, both in yellow gold and from Cartier’s Juste un Clou collection.