Ralph Lauren, Rachel Scott, Ana Khouri and Colleen Allen took home the top American design prizes at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards, according to Fashionista. The ceremony took place Monday evening in New York City and celebrated what the outlet called the year’s biggest achievers in American fashion.
The event was held at The American Museum of Natural History. CFDA Chairman Thom Browne and Interim CEO Hildy Kuryk presided over the evening, and Keke Palmer served as host. Anna Wintour, Matt Damon, Hailey Bieber, Cole Escola and Zoë Kravitz were among the presenters. Fashionista described the gathering as both intimate and powerful, with celebrities, fashion designers and other industry professionals in the room.
Not every honor was a surprise. Several honorary categories, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, Fashion Icon Award and Positive Change Award, were announced ahead of the night. The four competitive design categories were revealed live on stage, where the biggest winners were named one by one.
The early honors went to Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, Peter Marino for the Fashion Icon Award and Tory Burch for the Positive Change Award. Burch was also among the womenswear nominees, so her name appeared on both sides of the ledger that night.
Who won the main design categories?
Rachel Scott took the American Womenswear Designer of the Year prize for Diotima. Her fellow nominees were Catherine Holstein for Khaite, Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera, Michael Kors and Tory Burch.
Ralph Lauren won American Menswear Designer of the Year. The other nominees were Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne for Public School New York, Thom Browne, Todd Snyder and Willy Chavarria.
Ana Khouri was named American Accessory Designer of the Year. Her fellow nominees were Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen for The Row, Raul Lopez for Luar, Stuart Vevers for Coach and Sophie Buhai.
Colleen Allen won the Google American Emerging Designer of the Year award. The other nominees were Emily Dawn Long, Julia Ferentinos for Juju Vera, Julian Louie for Aubero and Zane Li for Lii. Fashionista’s arrivals photo, credited to Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images, shows Gracie Abrams and Colleen Allen together at the event.
The rest of the honors rounded out the night. Anthony Vaccarello received the International Designer of the Year Award, and Linda Fargo was honored with the Founder’s Award, given in honor of Eleanor Lambert.
Eva Chen won the Media Award, given in honor of Eugenia Sheppard. Susan Cianciolo received the Isabel Toledo Board of Directors’ Tribute, and GAP Inc. was recognized with the Innovation Award presented by Amazon Fashion.
Taken together, the winners cover womenswear, menswear, accessories and emerging talent. The honors also reach beyond design into media and the wider industry, which is why the list reads as a snapshot of the whole American fashion community rather than a single corner of it.
Browne, who presided as CFDA chairman, was also one of the menswear nominees. Fashionista’s full list, reported by Editor in Chief Dhani Mau, includes the nominees in every category for readers who want the complete slate of names.
Quick answers
Who hosted the CFDA Fashion Awards?
Keke Palmer served as host of the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards, held at The American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Who won Womenswear Designer of the Year at the CFDA Fashion Awards?
Rachel Scott won the American Womenswear Designer of the Year prize for Diotima, according to Fashionista.
Source: fashionista.com
