Denim featured prominently at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York City on Monday night, as attendees wore looks ranging from a custom gown to distressed jeans. The event recognized achievements in American fashion design and honored Ralph Lauren, Gap Inc., Peter Marino and others.
Gap Inc., which received the Amazon Fashion Innovation Award, put its signature material in the spotlight. GapStudio, the brand’s high-end fashion line led by creative director Zac Posen, dressed Demi Moore in a custom corseted denim gown and a matching shoulder bag. Posen said on Instagram that details from Gap’s jeans, including their waistband, buttons, topstitching and hardware, informed the gown’s shape.
GapStudio also created three custom dresses for Lupita Nyong’o, drawing inspiration from the brand’s classic T-shirt. For the RED carpet, she wore a cherry-red two-piece with a jean jacket. Her other looks included a navy dress with a denim bomber jacket and clutch, followed by a sculpted French terry halter gown for the award presentation.
Posen and Gap Inc. CEO Richard Dickson also wore blue jeans. ThreeASFour founders Angela Donhauser, Gabriel Asfour and Adi Gil brought their own take on denim: Donhauser and Gil wore patchwork designs, while Asfour chose a denim one-piece with a matching jacket.
Shaboozey wore a Ralph Lauren jacket and waistcoat with distressed denim, finishing the outfit with a bolo tie and a turquoise-embellished belt buckle.
Sources: WWD.