Lupita Nyong’o Brought 3 Dresses—and a Bag of Swedish Candy—to the 2026 CFDA Awards

Never has anyone at the CFDA Awards been this comfortable and stylish. Last night, Lupita Nyong’o celebrated the best of American fashion at the Museum of Natural History with three custom looks for the occasion.

After an afternoon spent getting ready at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, listening to Stevie Wonder and Meshell Ndegeocello while snacking on leftover Swedish candy from Halloween, it was time for Nyong’o to slip on her first of three GapStudio looks by Zac Posen, who was honored last night with the Innovation Award.

For his longtime friend’s fashion triple header, Posen was inspired by the classic Gap T-shirt and—more broadly—American sportswear. “We built the looks on T-shirt jersey, the fabric at the heart of Gap. Easy, understated, comfortable chic,” Posen says. “It’s a classic casual fabric, elevated by the woman who wears it.”

Nyong’o kicked off the night in a red two-piece with a gathered crop top and maxi skirt, which she and stylist Micaela Erlanger paired with a denim jacket and jewelry from Elsa Peretti’s Tiffany & Co. collection. Afterwards, she swapped her red-hot two-piece for a navy jersey dress with a denim bomber and ended the night in a plunging white gown to present Rachel Scott of Diotima with womenswear designer of the year.

The looks were right in line with Nyong’o’s personal tastes. “My off-duty style is relaxed, effortless, and comfortable, but always with a sense of personality. I love pieces that feel easy to wear but still allow me to express myself,” Nyong’o tells Vogue. “Tonight’s looks are a reflection of that—classic, versatile pieces with a fresh approach, inspired by a tried-and-true basic: a T-shirt, but with a modern point of view.”

Erlanger was on hand to help make each look red carpet-ready, adding a very Gap twist with a denim bomber jacket and clutch, plus jewelry from Boucheron, Tiffany & Co., and CFDA accessory designer of the year winner Ana Khouri. “When Lupita and I started discussing the vision for [the night], we kept returning to the beauty of effortless dressing. The process was all about playful reinvention,” Erlanger says. “I wanted Lupita to feel comfortable and true to herself, while elevating an everyday staple into something elevated, modern, and distinctly appropriate for the CFDA.”

Below, follow along as Lupita Nyong’o gets ready for the 2026 CFDA Awards.