Zendaya can do no wrong, but this year's Emmys red-carpet fashion largely fizzled. New York Fashion Week highs and lows, including the next generation of female designers, the scene-stealing action off the runways and Dior's newest segue into entertainment. Plus, Celine's colorful new Rodeo Drive store and Tiffany & Co.'s Blue Box Cafe.

By Booth Moore

Zendaya wearing custom Prada at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Sept. 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Source: Getty

Emmys Fashion Mostly Fizzles

The world is a lot less sparkly this week.

Bob Mackie, the costume designer, fashion and entertainment legend, died Monday after an astounding six-decade career, with an impact (and delicious stories) that stretched from the days of Marlene Dietrich and Judy Garland to Miley Cyrus and Zendaya.

His designs appeared on TV, in film, on concert and Broadway stages, in Vegas revues, on red carpets, magazine covers and the New York runways. And his workroom in Los Angeles rivaled any Paris couture house.

I’ve been working on a project about Mackie that has had me thinking a lot about how his particular gift was in enhancing the personalities of the celebrities he worked with, from Cher to Elton John, helping them become distinct performers with looks so deeply embedded in the public imagination that it’s difficult to separate the person from the Mackie.

Which may be why, with that top of mind, I found this year’s Emmys red carpet to be so incredibly bland. We all know by now that the red carpet is a revenue stream for Hollywood stars, who receive big paydays to wear a particular luxury brand, even if it doesn’t do anything to build their own style personality. (FWIW, Mackie never paid anyone to wear anything.)

Shailene Woodley in Balenciaga and Rhea Seehorn in Louis Vuitton. Source: Getty

And on Monday, many of the brands seemed to be serving themselves more than the stars they were dressing, from Shailene Woodley’s ill-fitting Balenciaga Fall 2026 couture spangled gold pants, plunging periwinkle blue top and sheer burgundy opera gloves, paired with an oddly serious hairstyle, to Rhea Seehorn’s Louis Vuitton red crepe dress with a draped collar and bodice, which read more off-the-rack.

Sarah Pidgeon in Chanel; Elle Fanning in Ralph Lauren; Emilia Clarke in Prada and Katherine LaNasa in Louis Vuitton. Source: Getty

There was a sameness to the silky bias-cut slip dresses (Elle Fanning in custom Ralph Lauren seafoam green and Sarah Pidgeon in custom lilac Chanel) and icy pastels (Katherine LaNasa in a light-blue chiffon Vuitton cape-back dress and Emilia Clarke in a lilac silk faille Prada cape-back dress) that we haven't seen on the red carpet since the early 2000s. I get that we're in a moment of minimalism, but I wish it had translated into something more striking and less bridesmaid.

There wasn’t much in the way of embellishment to delight the eye, aside from Zendaya’s dazzling, Mackie-worthy Prada nude tulle dress with a train, fully embroidered in crystals and beads. Also, her pixie cut was the winningest hair of the night.

Two of the most charming dresses had bow effects. Carey Mulligan’s strapless blue-and-white printed gown with a draped neckline, raw edges and a deconstructed bow in the back was by The Row, which seldom does red carpet, so it automatically gave her bragging rights. Ayo Edebiri’s custom Chanel tea-length gown, with sculpted bows on both the back and the front, came in a striking color combination of pale blue and red.

Carey Mulligan in The Row and Ayo Edebiri in Chanel. Source: Getty

Kudos to Louisa Jacobson for showing some personality with tailoring, choosing a cropped black evening jacket and high-waisted, wide-leg evening pants, paired with a white cotton-silk waistcoat and ribbon grosgrain scarf by Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford.

Cynthia Nixon’s sculptural but floaty burgundy pleated chiffon Issey Miyake dress and Keri Russell’s Khaite black leather column dress (with to-die-for onyx Buccellati earrings) also had a point of view. Russell is actually one who has cultivated a streamlined, modern red-carpet personal style that is all her own.

Louisa Jacobson in Tom Ford; Cynthia Nixon in Issey Miyake and Keri Russell in Khaite. Source: Getty

Similarly, on the men’s side, Colman Domingo can always be counted on to peacock in vibrant hues, executed with the help of Valentino designer Alessandro Michele. Unlike some designer-muse relationships, these two do seem to complement each other.

On the trending front, I liked how Adam Brody brought the silk scarf to the red carpet with his Prada floral silk tie, poplin shirt and navy mohair double-breasted suit.

Colman Domingo in Valentino and Adam Brody in Prada. Source: Getty

But Celine won the night for menswear, showcasing an impressive range of double-breasted tailoring, from Oscar Isaac in a cream jacket and very au courant cummerbund contrasted with black trousers, to Dan Levy in a classic double-breasted black tuxedo with a tonal floral brooch, to Mark Ronson in an all-black double-breasted tuxedo with a shorter jacket and wide-leg trousers. They all looked great and distinctive.

Mark Ronson, Oscar Isaac and Dan Levy in Celine. Source: Getty

Much of the jewelry was as minimal as the fashion, with last awards season’s bejeweled men’s brooches all but gone and most necklaces leaning toward dainty rather than statement. Two pieces that did stick with me? Zendaya’s Mikimoto pearls-and-petals diamond earrings and Grace Gummer’s incredible Boucheron choker, worn with the best Dior of the night: a micro-pleated gown with floral and pearl embellishments and Poiret-style fluidity.

Grace Gummer in a Boucheron choker and Zendaya in Mikimoto earrings. Source: Getty

Thom Browne Spring 2027. Source: Getty

New York Fashion Weeks Highs and Lows

At the Spring 2027 New York Fashion Week shows, the conversation about clothes was all but overshadowed by one about conduct. The alarming video of Council of Fashion Designers of America CEO Steven Kolb physically restraining and covering the mouth of a PETA protester who disrupted the COS show over its use of wool burst the fashion bubble, casting a pall over the week and putting the future of American fashion’s powerful trade association leader in question.

Kolb apologized, saying his actions were inappropriate, and took a voluntary leave of absence while the CFDA investigates. PETA initially considered filing a police report but now plans to meet with him. It was a surreal sideshow during a week that was notable for looking back and forward and showcasing a new generation of female designers.

Carolina Herrera Spring 2027 left and right; Coach Spring 2027 center. Source: Getty

Coach celebrated its 85th anniversary with Stuart Vevers’ slouchy tailoring giving way to grunge-glam sequins and whimsical leather party hats, while Wes Gordon marked Carolina Herrera’s 45th anniversary with nearly 30,000 yellow tulips at Lincoln Center and a polished parade of Herrera’s signature polka dots, ruffles, crisp white shirts and even a print inspired by Andy Warhol’s portrait of Mrs. Herrera herself.

Ralph Lauren Spring 2027. Source: Getty

Ralph Lauren opened the week by setting the tone for a new mood of refined romance with cutaway jackets, corsetry, faded denim, florals and lace, while Thom Browne closed the week with what he does best: fashion as theater, including a giant chrysalis, caterpillars and exquisite tailoring, shirting and gowns alive with ladybugs, butterflies and other insects.

Thom Browne Spring 2027. Source: Getty

Henry Zankov, meanwhile, made an energetic debut as artistic director of Diane von Furstenberg, putting a new spin on the brand built by the wrap dress, adding body-skimming jersey separates, stripes and lively prints.

Diane von Furstenberg Spring 2027. Source: Getty

One of the happiest developments was the new generation of female designers dominating the week. Leading the pack, and keying into the season’s romantic new mood, Tory Burch continued her runway evolution with ladylike pencil skirts, embroidered cardigans, ruffled scarves and stacked necklaces celebrating the joy of getting dressed. Meanwhile, Catherine Holstein showed a surprisingly softer side of Khaite, trading the label’s hard edge for embroidered lace and floating mousseline edged in ruffles.

Khaite Spring 2027 left and right; Tory Burch Spring 2027, center. Source: Khaite and Getty

Among the new generation of female power players, Rachel Scott occupies one of the most impressive positions, simultaneously leading her own label, Diotima, and writing the next chapter at Proenza Schouler. Her second Proenza runway felt more confident, challenging the codes established by Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez to achieve clothes with more freedom and ease, while at Diotima she pushed her vocabulary beyond crochet into new material experiments, with fluid flounced dresses and extraordinary three-dimensional organza details.

Rachel Scott for Proenza Schouler Spring 2027 left and center; Rachel Scott for Diotima Spring 2027, right. Source: Getty

The bench was even deeper with up-and-coming female designers. Daniella Kallmeyer balanced tailoring with languid knits and tactile embellishment. Ashlynn Park of Ashlyn demonstrated her architectural patternmaking skills through ingenious draping. L.A. designer Jamie Haller made her official NYFW debut with a head-to-toe wardrobe of everyday relaxed luxury, great denim, ruffled tops and cashmere sweaters. And at fellow L.A. label High Sport, Alissa Zachary expanded beyond the cult Kick pant into sophisticated tailoring, poplin shirts and sexy dresses with a surf-meets-street inspiration.

Kallmeyer Spring 2027 left and center; Ashlyn Spring 2027 right. Source: Kallmeyer and Getty

Overall, color and embellishment were everywhere, along with sheerness and romantic ruffles.

Among the most useful ideas were the throw-on pieces capable of transforming clothes already in the closet. Cummerbunds and wide sash belts wrapped the waist at Herrera, Kallmeyer and elsewhere; scarves worn as neckties and belts; and apron-like overskirts for pants offered quick and easy ways to change a silhouette for spring.

Left to right, apron-like denim overskirt at TWP; scarf as tie at Ulla Johnson; sheer trend at Eckhaus Latta Spring 2027. Source: Getty and Eckhaus Latta.

There was almost as much — maybe even more — action at the parties at New York Fashion Week as there was on the runways.

Designer Willy Chavarria marked the launch of his moto-inspired Ugg collection with the Aztec Rebels Latino motorcycle club taking to the streets in the footwear. And Pamela Anderson was the guest of honor at the Wes Gordon-hosted Carolina Herrera 45th Anniversary party, a one-night-only revival of Mortimer’s, Herrera’s favorite restaurant from the 1970s and ’80s, all the way down to a recreation of the original wall art.

Montblanc celebrated 100 years of its leather goods at Crane Club with Love Story’s Paul Anthony Kelly and others mingling around an oversized installation of the German brand’s hero product, the Writing Traveler briefcase. And Bulgari ambassadors Lisa and Anne Hathaway sparkled at the Bulgari party, which began with the unveiling of a public art installation titled auruBOROS by Berlin-based Plastique Fantastique, as part of a celebration of the jeweler’s Serpenti collection.

Paul Anthony Kelly at the Montblanc event celebrating 100 years of leather goods during New York Fashion Week at Crane Club on Sept. 8, 2026 in New York City. Source: Getty

But the most intriguing NYFW-adjacent happening was the announcement of a two-year partnership between Dior and Hollywood entertainment company A24, of Marty Supreme, Uncut Gems and Everything Everywhere All at Once fame.

Dior became the premier partner of A24’s historic Cherry Lane Theatre in New York, with the two companies planning to collaborate on programming that brings together filmmakers, performers, designers and artists.

The partnership feels like a natural progression for Hollywood-obsessed creative director Jonathan Anderson, whose first women’s ready-to-wear show for Dior opened with a cinematic nod to Marlene Dietrich, a longtime Dior client. Then in May, he brought Dior to Hollywood itself, staging the house’s Resort 2027 collection outside LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries, where vintage cars and film-noir lighting made the runway feel like a movie set.

Jonathan Anderson and Luca Guadagnino attend the Los Angeles Premiere Of A24's Queer at DGA Theater Complex on Nov. 13, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Source: Getty

Anderson has also become a film costume designer in his own right through his close creative partnership with director Luca Guadagnino. He made his costume-design debut with 2024’s Challengers, dressing Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, and followed it with period wardrobe for Queer, starring Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey. He is also the costume designer for Guadagnino’s upcoming Artificial, starring Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman.

The Dior-A24 partnership began last week with a celebration of the first anniversary of the theater’s reopening under A24, attended by Grace Gummer, 070 Shake, Sarita Choudhury, Francesca Scorsese and more.

Justin Vivian Bond performed Both Ends, a one-night work inspired by poet and playwright Edna St. Vincent Millay, one of Cherry Lane’s founders. Anderson designed the costumes for the performance, including dressing Bond in an archival Paul Poiret piece — a connection to Millay, who wore Poiret, as well as to Anderson’s own Poiret-inspired Dior Winter 2026 collection.

Beyond a conventional luxury sponsorship, Dior and A24 plan to develop programming together across film, t