CFDA Fashion Awards 2026: Lupita Nyong’o, Matt Damon, Naomi Osaka and Cole Escola Set to Present

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Fashion Awards is once again bringing together the biggest names shaping American fashion, with the 2026 ceremony set to honour designers whose creativity and influence continue to define the industry.

Taking place on Monday, November 2, 2026, at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, the annual celebration will be hosted by Emmy-winning actress, singer and television personality Keke Palmer. The ceremony will mark the fourth consecutive year the awards have been held at the iconic venue.

The CFDA has revealed four high-profile names who will take the stage to present the evening’s major American Designer of the Year awards.

Lupita Nyong’o, Matt Damon and Naomi Osaka Join the Line-Up

Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o will present the American Womenswear Designer of the Year award. The category sees Catherine Holstein for Khaite, Michael Kors, Rachel Scott for Diotima, Tory Burch and Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera competing for the honour.

Matt Damon will present the American Menswear Designer of the Year award, with nominees including Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne for Public School New York, Ralph Lauren, Thom Browne, Todd Snyder and Willy Chavarria.

Meanwhile, tennis champion and fashion figure Naomi Osaka will present the American Accessory Designer of the Year award. The nominees are Ana Khouri, Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen for The Row, Raul Lopez for Luar, Sophie Buhai and Stuart Vevers for Coach.

Rounding out the quartet is actor and comedian Cole Escola, who will present the Google American Emerging Designer of the Year award. The category celebrates a new generation of American talent, with Colleen Allen, Emily Dawn Long, Julia Ferentinos for Juju Vera, Julian Louie for Aubero and Zane Li for Lii nominated.

The CFDA says each presenter will be paired with a designer on stage, while additional presenters for the evening’s honouree categories will be announced later.

A Night Celebrating American Fashion

The competitive categories represent a broad cross-section of American fashion, from established houses and globally recognised designers to emerging names pushing the industry in new directions.

The 2026 nominees and honourees were announced in September, with Tory Burch set to receive the Positive Change Award, photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin receiving the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, and Anthony Vaccarello named International Designer of the Year for his work at Saint Laurent.

Other honourees include Eva Chen, who will receive the Media Award in honour of Eugenia Sheppard; Linda Fargo, recipient of the Founder’s Award in honour of Eleanor Lambert; and Susan Cianciolo, who will receive the Isabel Toledo Board of Directors’ Tribute.

Who Decides the Winners?

Behind the glamour, the CFDA Fashion Awards are decided through a voting process overseen by the CFDA Fashion Awards Guild, an invitation-only body comprising influential figures from across the fashion industry, including CFDA members, editors, journalists, retailers, stylists and other industry professionals.

For 2026, voting begins October 5 and closes October 23, with the Guild determining the winners across the American Womenswear, Menswear, Accessory and Emerging Designer categories.

With Lupita Nyong’o, Matt Damon, Naomi Osaka and Cole Escola now joining Keke Palmer for one of American fashion’s biggest nights, the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards are shaping up to be an evening where fashion, culture and star power will come together and we will be waiting to bring you details

Photo credit: Getty Images.