The Best-Dressed Stars at the 2026 Emmy Awards
The night’s strongest looks weren’t necessarily the biggest—they were the ones that felt unmistakably right for the women wearing them.
The best looks often come with a bit of method dressing, telling you something about the road that led people here. Over the years, the Emmys red carpet has given us Zendaya in Valentino’s enormous black ball skirt, Ayo Edebiri in sculptural Louis Vuitton, and, last year, Michelle Williams in archival Chanel.
The 2026 Emmy Awards nominees came with well-versed fashion résumés. Keri Russell, nominated again for The Diplomat, has spent years refining a straightforward approach to eveningwear, including the black Armani Privé she wore to last year’s ceremony. Zendaya, nominated for Euphoria, has spent more than a decade with Law Roach turning red carpet dressing into a sport in itself. Ayo Edebiri can make an awards-show arrival feel like a natural extension of the fashion show circuit.
Also on our radar: the women with less red-carpet history. Chase Infiniti is up against Russell, Zendaya, Carrie Coon, and Rhea Seehorn for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, while A-lister Michelle Pfeiffer joins Hannah Einbinder and Meg Stalter in the comedy supporting actress race. With newer names in the mix, we get to watch an actor figure out what kind of fashion person she wants to be in real time.
After spending the past week at New York Fashion Week thinking about what clothes might matter six months from now, the Emmys offer a bit of instant gratification. We’re not looking for the biggest gown or the most recognizable designer, but clothes that feel specific to the woman wearing them, and to this particular moment in her career.
Below are our picks for the best-dressed stars at the 2026 Emmy Awards.
Grace Gummer Wearing Dior
The Love Story actress wore a strapless Christian Dior by Jonathan Anderson dress that swapped the expected body-skimming silhouette for generous volume, crinkled texture, and floral appliqués. It’s also the latest in a particularly good red carpet run for Gummer, who worked with stylist Nicky Campbell earlier this year on the cerulean Colleen Allen look that cleverly nodded to mom Meryl Streep’s Devil Wears Prada legacy. Dior Beauty kept the makeup glowy and pared-back, leaving her 1920s-inspired diamond choker and the dress’s oversized florals to do most of the talking.
Fiona Dourif Wearing Thomas Hanisch
The Pitt star, who earned her first Emmy nomination this year, chose a deep oxblood-and-black Thomas Hanisch look built around texture and sculptural draping. The fuzzy finish gave the rich red even more depth, while diamond jewelry and a structured black clutch kept the styling minimal—a fitting follow-up to Dourif and her Pitt co-stars' standout Emmy fashion last year. Her blunt micro bangs and graphic black liner only pushed the look further into slightly off-kilter territory—in exactly the right way.
Ayo Edebiri
Ayo Edebiri made a welcome return to the Emmys red carpet after skipping the ceremony last year. Working with longtime stylist Danielle Goldberg, The Bear star arrived in a two-tone gown that played with a fire-and-ice palette: icy blue ruffles cascaded down the front, while fiery orange draping and oversized bows brought the drama from behind. Metallic silver sandals finished the look.
It continued Edebiri's run as one of awards season's most reliable fashion players—and had a high bar to follow. At her last Emmys appearance in 2024, she landed on Marie Claire's best-dressed list in a custom, art-inspired Bottega Veneta gown.
Sarah Pidgeon in Chanel
Sarah Pidgeon has spent much of the year flirting with Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s minimalist fashion playbook, but for her first Emmys red carpet, she let herself have a little more fun. The Love Story star and first-time nominee wore a lilac Chanel slip gown with a low, draped neckline and strands of pearls, crystals, and charms spilling from its straps like jewelry built directly into the dress. It was a more embellished evolution of the ’90s-inspired Chanel slip dresses she’s gravitated toward all year, while still retaining the unfussy ease that has become something of a Pidgeon signature. With stylist Emma Jade Morrison, she’s built a red carpet run that stretches from Chanel to Balenciaga, and this felt like exactly the right moment to switch things up.
Keri Russell Wearing Custom Khaite
Keri Russell went considerably tougher for her ninth Emmys appearance. The Diplomat star wore a custom black Khaite gown cut from leather, with a high, scarf-like neckline and an almost entirely open back. From the front, the silhouette was spare; from behind, a small silver buckle at the waist was practically the only thing holding it together. Slicked-back hair, black sandals, and colorful earrings kept the styling just as straightforward. It’s a very Khaite way to do an evening gown—and a nice departure from the Armani Privé Russell wore last year.
Zendaya Wearing Custom Prada
Zendaya and Law Roach have reached the point where a great red carpet look is practically expected, but her return to the Emmys still delivered. The Euphoria star wore a custom Prada gown built on sheer tulle and dripping in crystals, which made the embellishment appear almost suspended against her skin. Roach layered on Mikimoto diamonds and pearls—while Christian Louboutin pumps disappeared beneath the gown. It was a more daring take than the black Valentino ball gown she wore to win her second Emmy in 2022, but no less considered: the kind of look that reminds you why Zendaya’s Emmys fashion has become an event unto itself.
Joy Sunday Wearing Dior
Working with stylist Darryl Glover, the DTF St. Louis actress chose a white crystal-studded dress with delicate straps, a loose blouson bodice, and an embellished bow gathered low at the hips before opening into a thigh-high slit. The relaxed shape offset all that sparkle, while diamond drop earrings and Sunday’s close-cropped hair kept the rest of the look remarkably simple. With DTF St. Louis among this year’s most-nominated limited series, it was a fitting first Emmys look.
Eunice Bae Wearing Bill Blass
Eunice Bae made a case for going all-in on the Emmys red carpet in archival Bill Blass. The marigold yellow gown was covered almost entirely in feathers, with a plunging neckline and high-low hem that gave all that volume some movement. Rather than compete with it, Bae kept everything else clean: silver barely-there sandals, small earrings, an updo, and a red lip.
Supriya Ganesh Wearing McQueen
For Ganesh’s first Emmys as a nominee, she took a softer approach to Alexander McQueen. Working with stylist Amanda Lim, the Pitt actress wore a strapless icy-blue gown that traded the house’s darker romanticism for something lighter and more ethereal. The pale color and clean neckline kept the look restrained, yet the sculptural draping made sure it didn’t disappear on the carpet.
