InStyle Imagemaker Awards 2026: Boldest Red Carpet Looks

The Night Hollywood's Behind-the-Scenes Stars Got the Spotlight

On Thursday, October 15, 2026, the 3rd Annual InStyle Imagemaker Awards took over a private residence in Los Angeles — and the red carpet did not disappoint. The event honors the visionaries behind the looks we obsess over: stylists, makeup artists, hairstylists, costume designers, nail artists and more. And in a perfect bit of symmetry, the A-listers who showed up to present awards to their own imagemakers dressed like the assignment was personal.

From Charli XCX's braless leather-blazer moment to Heidi Klum's nude corset gown and Megan Thee Stallion's architectural Robert Wun armor, this was a carpet built for bold choices. Twin Towerz Entertainment rounds up the five looks that owned the night.

Charli XCX in a braless leather blazer with a tie at the 2026 InStyle Imagemaker Awards

Charli XCX in a leather blazer worn as a minidress — photo: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello via Page Six

Charli XCX Goes Braless in a Leather Blazer

Charli XCX brought her signature edge to the carpet alongside her stylist Chris Horan, serving up what InStyle described as "sexy rockstar meets office-core." She went braless beneath an oversized black leather blazer with sharp, exaggerated shoulders, a fitted waist and an ultra-short hem that let the piece double as a minidress. With nothing underneath, the blazer's plunging lapels created a dramatically low neckline — and then came the twist: a patterned cream-and-gold tie wrapped around her neck and left hanging down the center of her chest.

She finished the look with sheer black tights, pointed-toe black pumps, chunky rings, and her signature dark hair worn long, straight and center-parted. Oversized black sunglasses completed the rockstar aesthetic. The styling logic tracks: Charli was there to present Horan with the Future of Fashion Award, and the two of them have been on a roll — just weeks earlier, Horan dressed her for the MTV VMAs in a custom black velvet Saint Laurent two-piece with a semi-sheer long-sleeve bra top.

Heidi Klum's Nude Corset Gown

Heidi Klum in a nude corset gown with lace embellishments at the 2026 InStyle Imagemaker Awards

Heidi Klum — photo: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello via Page Six

Heidi Klum, 53, leaned all the way into deconstructed glamour. The model wore a nude corset gown with delicate lace embellishments and draped, distressed panels — a romantic, deliberately undone finish with sheer lace sleeves and a trailing train. She accented the look with a delicate diamond necklace and an assortment of rings, and wore her golden blonde hair in loose, tousled waves with smoky eyes.

This is Klum's second straight year at the Imagemakers — she followed up last year's sultry zip-up LBD with yet another glamorous turn. She also had presenting duties: Klum handed her friend and Project Runway co-host Law Roach the women's stylist award. Roach, the powerhouse behind some of Hollywood's biggest style moments, counts Klum among his inner circle — and the two have turned their fashion friendship into must-watch carpet television.

Megan Thee Stallion's Robert Wun Armor

Megan Thee Stallion in a gray Robert Wun couture outfit at the 2026 InStyle Imagemaker Awards

Megan Thee Stallion in Robert Wun — photo: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello via Page Six

Megan Thee Stallion delivered one of the night's most sculptural moments in a custom gray ensemble straight from Robert Wun's FW26 Couture collection. The three-piece look: a fitted wool top with sharply pointed power shoulders, a sharp dress collar, an attached necktie and a fitted corset bodice — plus dramatic cape-like sleeves that extended past her hands. Below, a body-hugging mermaid skirt flared into a voluminous bubble-hem train at her feet.

She kept accessories sleek — sparkling diamond stud earrings only, no necklace, so the tailoring stayed the star — and carried a coordinating cat-shaped clutch. Her blonde hair was styled in a rarely seen updo with dramatic winged eyeliner and rosy cheeks. The fashion earned her spotlight, but Megan was there to pass it on: she presented an award to her longtime hairstylist Kellon Deryck, the architect behind her most iconic hair looks, from premieres and music videos to InStyle's own Fall 2026 Fashion and Beauty issue cover.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Pretty in Pink

Priyanka Chopra Jonas in a pink two-piece with a plunging top at the 2026 InStyle Imagemaker Awards

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Woman of Impact honoree — photo: Getty Images via Page Six

The night's Woman of Impact honoree, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, arrived in a romantic pink two-piece with a plunging top, padded slit sleeves and a fitted pencil skirt finished with delicate gold embroidery — and an elegant train sweeping behind her. She accessorized with square-toe thong sandals and stud earrings, and wore her signature brunette hair in a bouncy blowout with a deep side part.

The award recognizes how she has defied stereotypes, amplified voices and expanded opportunities for women in Hollywood, both on and off camera. She was presented the honor by Avantika Vandanapu, Amita Rao and Megan Suri — a fittingly multigenerational moment. It's not her first InStyle honor, either: she was previously celebrated at the second annual InStyle Awards as a Breakthrough Style Star.

Elizabeth Debicki's Sequin Slip

Elizabeth Debicki in a halter-neck sequin gown at the 2026 InStyle Imagemaker Awards

Elizabeth Debicki in sequins — photo: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello via Page Six

Elizabeth Debicki brought regal simplicity to the carpet in a slinky black sequin gown with a halter neckline, styled with simple black sandals, minimal jewelry, loose waves and natural glam makeup. Sometimes the boldest move is letting the dress do all the talking.

She had one of the night's most interesting presenting gigs: an award for costume designer Trish Summerville, whom Debicki worked with on her forthcoming film The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth — written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by David Fincher, in which Debicki plays talent agent Karen Crosby. Summerville's résumé includes Weapons, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and Gone Girl, so the costume-design crowd had plenty to celebrate.

The Real Story: The Imagemakers

For all the carpet drama, the point of the night was the people behind it. The third annual Imagemakers celebrated the stylists, makeup artists, hairstylists and other visionaries across film, television, music, sports and culture — and the guest list showed how deep that influence runs. Alongside the night's headliners, presenters and attendees included Adam Driver, Joey King, Tyriq Withers, Hannah Einbinder, Simu Liu, Lisa Rinna, Julia Stiles and Ella Beatty, each there to honor the creative who builds their image from the ground up.

Twin Towerz Verdict: Charli XCX took the night's biggest swing — braless tailoring with a necktie is the kind of risk that either lands iconic or lands wrong, and hers landed. But Megan Thee Stallion's Robert Wun armor was the most technically impressive look on the carpet. Heidi Klum, as ever, proved she doesn't need anyone else's blueprint to own a red carpet.

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Which look owned the night — Charli's braless blazer, Heidi's corset gown, or Megan's Robert Wun armor? Drop your pick in the comments.

— Twin Towerz Entertainment

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