If the Academy Awards are Hollywood’s most formal stage, the Vanity Fair Oscar Party is where fashion lets loose. Once the final statuette is handed out and ceremony gowns have made their pass through the Dolby Theatre, the industry’s most photographed names arrive ready to push boundaries. This is the second act—where glamour sharpens, silhouettes take risks, and the mood shifts from polished to provocative.
This year only cemented its status as one of the most influential fashion moments of the season.
All eyes were on Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet, now a familiar pairing on the awards circuit. Jenner leaned into dark glamour in a black sequined Alexander McQueen gown, complete with a dramatic feathered train that swept behind her. The look was pure McQueen—sculptural, controlled, and cinematic. Beside her, Chalamet delivered his signature modern tailoring in a crisp white Givenchy suit, striking that balance between classic refinement and quiet rebellion.
Karol G delivered one of the night’s most arresting moments in Ashi Studio Spring/Summer 2026 Couture. The sculptural gown, layered with intricate gold embellishment and cascading fringe, shimmered under every flash. Known for its architectural precision, Ashi Studio once again proved its command of statement couture.
Tamara Ralph emerged as a defining presence of the evening, her designs appearing across multiple standout looks. Pink Pantheress wore a feathered gown that fused softness with dramatic volume, while Simone Ashley opted for sculptural elegance, elevated with Buccellati jewellery. Rita Ora followed suit, fully embracing Ralph’s high-drama aesthetic in a look rooted in opulence and theatricality.
Not every look leaned maximal. Hailey Bieber offered a more restrained take in a sleek leopard print Armani Privé gown, letting the bold pattern speak for itself. Bella Hadid echoed that sense of control in a custom Prada gown that felt effortlessly timeless. Clean lines and precise tailoring defined the look, but it was the subtle nostalgia that made it land—a quiet nod to early 2000s minimalism. Chic, refined, and completely self-assured, it proved that simplicity, when done right, can be just as commanding as spectacle.
Cara Delevingne delivered one of the night’s most visually striking moments in a conceptual Thom Browne anatomical design, transforming the body into illusion and blurring the boundary between fashion and art.
Kim Kardashian leaned into high-shine glamour in a liquid gold Gucci gown, its molten finish sculpting the body with precision. Amelia Gray closed out the lineup in a sleek Revolve look, underscoring the growing interplay between established luxury houses and contemporary fashion platforms.
Taken together, the night revealed a clear shift. Heritage houses—Armani Privé, McQueen, Givenchy—still hold their ground, but newer voices like Ashi Studio and Tamara Ralph are no longer emerging; they’re defining the conversation.
If the Oscars celebrate film at its most refined, the Vanity Fair after-party is fashion at its most fearless. For a few hours, the silver carpet becomes its own runway—where glamour, experimentation, and spectacle collide under the relentless flash of the camera.
