Runway 7 opened a new chapter in its fashion community on Monday, September 14, 2026, with the debut of the Runway 7 Fashion Awards in New York City. The inaugural event brought together designers, models, beauty professionals, photographers, media creatives, and industry guests for an evening centered on talent, creativity, and recognition.
The celebration went beyond the presentation of awards. Live performances, fashion personalities, creative professionals, and memorable stage moments shaped a night designed to recognize the people working across different sides of the industry. The first fashion awards winners represented design, modeling, hair and makeup, and fashion media, reflecting the range of talent that contributes to bringing fashion to life.
Guests also experienced live entertainment throughout the evening. Glammo Production brought dancers to the stage, while saxophonist Cleo Fox delivered a musical performance alongside violin ensemble Rebel Strings and violinist Yut Chia. The combination of music, movement, and industry recognition gave Runway 7’s first fashion awards a celebratory atmosphere that extended beyond a traditional awards ceremony.
Runway 7 Marks a New Chapter With Its First Fashion Awards
For Runway 7, the launch represented an opportunity to recognize the people whose work contributes to fashion both on the runway and behind the scenes. Eighteen fashion awards winners were honored across four main creative fields, with individual distinctions recognizing achievements ranging from streetwear and haute couture to modeling, beauty, photography, and visual storytelling.
The breadth of the fashion awards categories reflected the collaborative nature of the industry itself. Designers may create the collections, but models bring those ideas to the runway, hair and makeup professionals shape the visual direction, and photographers and media creatives help carry those moments to audiences beyond the venue.
That wider perspective helped distinguish the inaugural ceremony. Rather than limiting recognition to one area of fashion, the fashion awards categories created space for different disciplines to be celebrated within the same event.
The result was a first edition that brought together established professionals and emerging talent while introducing a new platform for recognition within the Runway 7 community.
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A Night Celebrating Fashion Across Every Discipline
Designers formed the largest group among the fashion awards winners, receiving 12 of the evening’s 18 honors. The designer awards covered a broad spectrum of contemporary fashion, including streetwear, ready-to-wear, womenswear, global heritage, swimwear, haute couture, sustainable fashion, handmade design, bridal, eveningwear, custom fashion, and emerging talent.
The remaining fashion awards categories extended recognition to Hair & Makeup, Models, and Media, acknowledging the creative professionals who help transform collections and runway moments into complete fashion experiences.
Across those disciplines, the fashion awards winners reflected the diversity of skills that define the modern industry. From designers developing distinctive collections to models presenting them on the runway and visual creatives documenting the experience, each winner represented a different part of the larger fashion ecosystem.
That range of recognition gave the first Runway 7 Fashion Awards a clear identity: a celebration not only of finished collections, but of the people, disciplines, and creative collaboration behind them.
In the next part, the focus turns to the individual fashion awards winners, beginning with the designers who took center stage across the evening’s most extensive group of honors.
Designers Lead the Fashion Awards Winners
The designer honors represented the largest group among the fashion awards winners, with 12 recognitions spanning different areas of contemporary fashion. From streetwear and ready-to-wear to haute couture, sustainability, bridal, and eveningwear, the awards reflected the range of creative directions represented within the Runway 7 community.
Designer Winners at a Glance
| Award | Winner |
| Best Streetwear Collection | Phillip & Micah Petty |
| Best Ready-to-Wear Collection | KH House of Khaddar |
| Best Womenswear Collection | Silvana Garcia |
| Best Global Heritage Collection | Amna Inam |
| Best Swimwear Collection | Momma Boss Swim&Sport |
| Best Haute Couture Collection | Lazaro Sanchez |
| Best Sustainable Fashion | Monica Casella |
| Emerging Designer of the Year | Gaxco – Axel Chinea |
| Best Handmade Fashion | Luna May |
| Best Custom Fashion Designer | Simon Villalba |
| Best Bridal Collection | Sahar Salim |
| Best Eveningwear Collection | A Tangerine Design |
These designer-focused fashion awards categories highlighted both creative specialization and the different ways designers contribute to the industry. The range of awards also gave emerging and established talent room to be recognized for distinct strengths rather than being measured against a single definition of success.
Sustainability, Craftsmanship and Emerging Talent
Several of the evening’s distinctions placed particular attention on areas that continue to shape modern fashion. Monica Casella received Best Sustainable Fashion, Luna May was recognized for Best Handmade Fashion, and Gaxco – Axel Chinea received Emerging Designer of the Year.
Together, these honors reflected the importance of craftsmanship, new creative voices, and more conscious approaches to design within the broader group of fashion awards winners.
Fashion Awards Snapshot
- 18 award winners
- 12 designer awards
- 2 hair & makeup awards
- 2 model awards
- 2 media awards
- 12 honorees and special recognition recipients
Beauty and Modeling Talent Take the Stage
The fashion awards categories extended beyond clothing and collections, recognizing the professionals responsible for shaping how fashion is presented and experienced.
Hair & Makeup Winners
Nannette Guillaume was named Hairstylist of the Year, while Carmen Torres received Makeup Artist of the Year. Their recognition highlighted the role beauty professionals play in creating the visual identity surrounding runway presentations, editorial imagery, and fashion events.
Model Winners
Tiago Jesus Aguila received Male Model of the Year, while Luana Larkin was named Female Model of the Year.
Models remain an essential part of translating a collection from concept to runway, and their inclusion among the fashion awards winners reinforced the collaborative nature of the industry.
Fashion Media and Visual Storytelling Honored
Photography and media were also represented among the evening’s fashion awards categories.
Anja Stoll received Best Fashion Photographer, while Leon Brown was recognized for Best Fashion Moment Captured. These awards highlighted the importance of visual storytelling in extending the life of a fashion moment beyond the runway itself.
Photography, editorial coverage, and digital media help collections reach broader audiences, making media professionals an important part of the fashion ecosystem.
Honorees and Special Recognition
In addition to the official fashion awards winners, the inaugural Runway 7 Awards also recognized a distinguished group of honorees whose work, influence, and contribution extend across fashion, media, performance, and innovation.
These recognitions helped expand the scope of the evening beyond competitive award titles, highlighting individuals and brands that have made a lasting impact in their respective fields. While the fashion awards categories celebrated winners across Designers, Hair & Makeup, Models, and Media, the honorees segment added another layer of recognition to the event.
Honorees at a Glance
| Honoree | Recognition |
| -Malan Breton | Excellence in Design Award |
| Andy Bachman | Runway 7 Impact and Influence Award |
| Anthony Rubio | Best Canine Fashion Award |
| Grace Mercedes | Best Hair & Makeup Director |
| Matthew Dillon | Best TV Fashion Commentator |
| Karen Chan | Best International Fashion Designer |
| Fred Lublin | Medical Excellence & Innovation Award |
| Izzy Lamberti | Best On Stage Performance |
| KP The Legend | Runway 7 Model Legacy Award |
| Yanina Gómez | People’s Choice Awards |
| Nessa Sakura | Best Fashion DJ |
| Rosalyn Yellin | Best Dress Reality Star |
From excellence in fashion design to media presence, live performance, and cultural impact, the honorees reflected the broader creative community surrounding Runway 7. Their inclusion reinforced the event’s role not only as a platform for fashion awards winners, but also as a celebration of leadership, influence, and achievement across the industry.
Looking Ahead to the Next NYFW Season
The inaugural Runway 7 Fashion Awards created a new platform for celebrating the people shaping fashion across multiple disciplines, while also building momentum around the broader Runway 7 calendar.
For guests planning to travel to New York for the next February fashion season, organizing accommodations early can make the experience considerably easier. Visitors attending shows, presentations, and industry events can explore the nyfw hotel options available through Runway 7 for convenient stays during New York Fashion Week.
As Runway 7 continues to expand its fashion community, the first fashion awards winners now represent the beginning of a new tradition centered on creativity, recognition, and industry connection.
Discover Every Fashion Awards Winner
The complete list of winners includes designers, models, beauty professionals, photographers, and media creatives recognized across all four areas of the competition.
Explore the official winners page to see every honoree, award title, and profile from the inaugural Runway 7 Fashion Awards.
Experience the Runway 7 Fashion Awards in New York
The next chapter is already taking shape. The Runway 7 Fashion Awards will return on September 13, 2027, at Sony Hall in New York City, bringing the fashion community together once again for another evening of recognition, creativity, and live entertainment.
Guests who want to experience the event in person can now secure their fashion awards tickets and plan ahead for the 2027 ceremony.
With a new group of creatives set to be recognized, the upcoming edition will continue building on the foundation established by Runway 7’s inaugural Fashion Awards.
