The 2026 Gold Gala brought together a wide range of influential figures from entertainment, sports, fashion and business as the annual event returned to Los Angeles for its fifth edition. Organized to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander excellence across industries, the ceremony honored this year’s Gold100 recipients while also delivering a major showcase of celebrity red-carpet fashion.
Among the evening’s most recognized honorees was Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who received the Global Vanguard award while arriving in a sculptural Amit Aggarwal ensemble. Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu, honored with the Gold Impact award, also drew attention in a sophisticated Andrew Kwon look paired with Stuart Weitzman footwear. Actor Charles Melton earned the Gold Artistic Achievement award, while Simu Liu, Revathi Advaithi and martial arts icon Jet Li were also recognized during the ceremony.
The red carpet featured appearances from a diverse mix of actors, musicians, athletes and creatives. EJAE attended in a LEJE design, Chloe Kim wore a C.Dam SS26 runway piece and Halsey appeared alongside Avan Jogia in Rahul Mishra. Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Mindy Kaling, Hayley Kiyoko, H.E.R., Bowen Yang and Da’Vine Joy Randolph were also among the notable attendees showcasing a wide range of contemporary and couture-inspired styling choices.
Beyond the fashion, the Gold Gala continued its mission of recognizing achievements across multiple industries including film, music, sports, technology and social impact. This year’s Gold100 list included names such as Michelle Yeoh, Chloé Zhao, Jenny Han, Lucy Liu, Sandy Liang, Bruno Mars and Jon M. Chu, reflecting the organization’s cross-industry approach to celebrating cultural influence and representation.
The event also highlighted emerging talent through its New Gold initiative, spotlighting breakout names including global girl group KATSEYE, singer Lola Young and model Bhavitha Mandava. As the Gold Gala continues growing in scale and visibility, it has increasingly become both a major cultural celebration and an important fashion moment on the entertainment calendar.
