Designer labels? Not necessarily. Personality? Absolutely.
The women at our Woman of the Year 2026 gala arrived in looks that felt distinctly their own — whether it was a striking silhouette, an unexpected styling choice or a look that just felt unmistakably theirs. And while black will always have its place on the red carpet, we loved seeing so much white this year. Crisp, elegant and anything but predictable, white is one of those timeless colours that never really goes out of fashion — and, when styled right, can feel every bit as sophisticated as it is fresh.
We also spotted high-street pieces that could easily pass for elegant eveningwear, proving once again that it’s not always about the price tag; it’s all in the styling. Nicole Liel, we’re looking at you — you absolutely knocked it out of the park, and those shades? Even better.
Then there were the traditional garments given a modern, refreshing spin. Sadhana Rai and Sarah Bagharib, yes, we’re talking about you. Both showed how culturally rich pieces can feel completely of-the-moment when styled with the right attitude.
And then, there was pink. Her World Woman of the Year 2026 Tan Su Shan asked her friends to come dressed in the colour — pretty and feminine, yes, but with plenty of power behind it. The result brought a softer kind of confidence to the evening, proving that pink can be every bit as striking as it is beautiful.
Because the best-dressed aren’t always the women wearing the most recognisable names or the fanciest gowns. They’re the ones who make the clothes feel like them. Here are the 25 women who did just that.
Munah Bagharib in Canadian label Jadore Evening
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Dr Patricia Yuen in Pois and Van Cleef & Arpels
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Nicole Liel in Zara
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Rachel Lim in a Love Bonito (soon-to-be-released) dress
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Sadhana Rai in a Stylemart sari
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Beatrice Chia-Richmond in Maria Grochvogel
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Trina Liang-Lin in Roland Mouret and Bulgari
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Sulian Tan-Wijaya in Cartier and Bulgari jewellery
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Sarah Bagharib in a self-styled keffiyeh
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Cheryl Wee in Alexander Mcqueen and Sass & Bide
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Nathania Ong in Vietnamese label Tiela
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Maggie Chan in American label Rebel, from Rentadella
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Simone Heng
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Preeti Nair
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Paige Parker in Mode O Days bespoke cheongsam, Olympia Le-Tan clutch and Cartier jewellery
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Shireena Shroff Manchharam
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Leanne Robers in The Missing Piece
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Veronika Linardi in Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Lynn Yeow De-Vito in Gabriela Hearst
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Farhanna Farid in Asos
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Diane Palmer in Retrofête and Alaia
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Eugenia Ye-Yeo in Australian label MISHA
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Bipasha Minocha in Indian label Tarun Tahiliani
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Brie Benfell in Australian label Nicoletta, from Rentadella
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
Rachel Wee in Vietnamese label LANE Ci
Credit: Photography: Athirah Annissa, Art direction: Adeline Eng
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