Don't Sleep on TIFF—The 2026 Red Carpet Is Delivering Some of September's Best Fashion

Following high-fashion premieres in Venice, Berlin, and Cannes, 2026's film festival circuit rolled out the red carpet in Toronto. Having begun on September 10, A-list appearances from Cynthia Erivo, Ayo Edebiri, and Penélope Cruz are proving that Canada has just as much of a celebrity style scene as its European counterparts. In fact, the 2026 Toronto Film Festival is setting lofty standards for the New York Film Festival later this month.

The opening day of New York Fashion Week happened to coincide with Toronto's initial star-studded screenings. So, some of the festival's best fashion moments were (unintentionally) swept under the rug. But while VIPs found their front-row seats at spring runway shows from Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Carolina Herrera, Marie Claire kept one eye on the red carpet rotation up north.

The step-and-repeats started strong, thanks to early arrivals from Edebiri, Chase Infiniti, and Sarah Paulson. Edebiri, for one, stole the show at the Clarissa premiere, wearing Chanel's Fall 2026 Couture take on the black-and-white red carpet trend. Meanwhile, Infiniti's custom Louis Vuitton dress proved no color (not even mossy chartreuse) is too "out there" for her. Half a day later, Paulson played with proportions in a bubble-shaped gown by Danielle Frankel, the New York-based designer behind Jordyn Woods's wedding dress.

Now, if you've tuned into Marie Claire's previous red carpet coverage, you know the drill: From now until Sept. 20, we will update this post with the can't-miss celebrity outfits at the 2026 Toronto Film Festival. Keep scrolling for our (incomplete, but already top-tier) best-dressed list.

Penélope Cruz wearing Tamara Ralph

After her style streak at the Venice Film Festival, Penélope Cruz delivered another round of applause-worthy attire in Canada. The free-flowing feathers on her Tamara Ralph Couture Fall 2026 gown made an otherwise classic silhouette hypnotizing.

Olivia Cooke wearing Torisheju

For A Talent for Murder showing, Olivia Cooke debuted a Torisheju Fall 2026 dress with a wool sweater tied around the off-the-shoulder neckline.

Aimee Lou Wood wearing De La Vali

At the premiere of The Idiot(s), Aimee Lou Wood wore a lacy semi-sheer slip dress from De La Vali, which is still available to shop.

Lily James wearing Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney designed Lily James's elegant slip dress for the Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo premiere, complete with scalloped trim along the neckline.

Penélope Cruz wearing Christian Cowan

At the Bunker premiere, Cruz styled a leather-and-lace gown beneath a shoulder-padded blazer, both from Christian Cowan's Spring 2027 collection.

Cynthia Erivo wearing Dior

Cynthia Erivo's weekend began at the 2026 US Open and Ralph Lauren's NYFW fête, but it ended in Toronto. The actor looked wickedly divine in a black-and-white, fur-trimmed coat from Dior's Cruise 2027 show.

Ayo Edebiri wearing Chanel

Ayo Edebiri's Chanel era is one for the books, but her custom gown from the brand at the Clarissa screening deserves its own chapter. Styled by Danielle Goldberg, the one-shoulder Couture Fall 2026 style evoked the surprisingly elegant look of distressed tweed.

Julianne Moore wearing Bottega Veneta

Julianne Moore's Bottega Veneta dress at The Debut premiere proved a sleek black slip will always be a foolproof red carpet pick.

Sarah Paulson wearing Danielle Frankel

Sarah Paulson shone the spotlight on Danielle Frankel's cool-girl wedding creations, including a structured, off-the-shoulder coat worn as a dress.

Issa Rae wearing archival Marc Bouwer

Issa Rae debuted one of the festival's most colorful looks at the Babies premiere. Turns out, the velvet, eye-squintingly tangerine gown was an archival Marc Bouwer pull.

Léa Seydoux wearing Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton's brand ambassadors are making this Toronto Film Festival a stellar one. Léa Seydoux channeled a modern-day Marilyn Monroe in a custom, belted column dress, matching opera gloves, and diamonds, of course.

Rooney Mara wearing Givenchy and Kate Mara wearing Dolce & Gabbana

Rooney and Kate Mara, sisters who star in Bucking Fastard together, sampled opposite ends of the red carpet styling spectrum. Rooney opted for a feminine babydoll dress by Givenchy, crafted from white lace. Meanwhile, Kate brought the drama in a black lace-trimmed bralette and a matching satin skirt.

Margaret Qualley wearing Chanel

Following Margaret Qualley's support of the barefoot Chanel sandal, her next Matthieu Blazy moment had big shoes to fill (or lack thereof). In Toronto, she stayed loyal to the creative director in a silky LBD, featuring the French fashion house's interlocked Cs atop each shoulder. She did, however, style shoes this time.

Lily-Rose Depp wearing Chanel

The Toronto Film Festival is quickly transforming into a Chanel showdown. Lily-Rose Depp wore a butter yellow drop-waist dress from the label's Fall 2026 runway show at the Alpha Gang premiere. The model's cap-toe pumps seem to be a Métiers d'Art Spring 2026 style.

Chase Infiniti wearing Louis Vuitton

Chase Infiniti, Seydoux's fellow ambassador at Louis Vuitton, made a case for a chartreuse-filled fall in a textured yellow-green dress. She accessorized with platform Louis Vuitton pumps and gold jewelry from Gabriel & Co.

Lisa wearing Louis Vuitton

Lisa's two-piece look at the Always Lalisa premiere was another red carpet win for Louis Vuitton. The leather opera gloves, studded silver choker, and free-flowing belt gave the chocolate brown velvet look pop star edge.

Gemma Chan wearing Calvin Klein

Gemma Chan's spaghetti-strap Calvin Klein dress was as classic as '90s-inspired minimalism gets—until she turned to the side, revealing scooped cutouts.