The 52nd American Music Awards, held May 25, 2026 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, produced one of the most maximalist red carpets of the year. Sequins, structured suiting and saturated color all turned up at once, per coverage from Billboard and WWD. Hilary Duff hosted the ceremony, which aired on CBS.
Disco-era glamour returned
Reflective fabrics ran through much of the night.Fox News reported that Duff opened the arrivals in a shimmering silver sleeveless sequined gown. Paula Abdul wore a white sculptural gown with a geometric silver and flesh-toned mermaid skirt. The cumulative effect — heavy sequins, liquid-metal gowns, metallic suits — read as a deliberate move away from the matte minimalism that dominated several recent awards-season carpets.
Tailoring came back, but pointed
For stars who skipped sequins, the alternative was sharp, often monochromatic tailoring. Leon Thomas wore a black suit with a sash detail, per E! Online, and Jason Derulo's cropped moto jacket and wide-leg trousers leaned into menswear-as-statement. Several musicians arrived in double-breasted jackets and cropped blazers, choosing precision over volume — a counterpoint to the louder gowns elsewhere on the carpet.
Color did the talking
Saturated single colors stood out among the metallics. Teyana Taylor wore violet Balenciaga and Chrissy Teigen wore a tangerine Raisa Vanessa dress, per The Zoe Report. Tinashe's off-the-shoulder white lace gown with intricate embroidery offered a more couture-coded counterpoint to the rest of the carpet, pairing the bodice with layered diamond chokers and a wet-look hairstyle.
Other notable arrivals
Karol G, GloRilla, Maluma, Hannah Berner and Ejae were among other names highlighted in Deadline's arrivals gallery, with most leaning into either the metallic or saturated-color half of the night.
A clear shift in mood
The 2026 AMAs red carpet did not so much introduce one dominant trend as confirm a vibe: high energy, high shine, high color. Quiet luxury, at least for one night, was not on the guest list.
