TIFF may be all about the movies, but let’s be real, we’re also keeping a close eye on what’s happening on the red carpet.
The 2026 Toronto International Film Festival has brought some major star power to the city, and with it, plenty of red carpet moments worth talking about. From dramatic gowns and pops of colour to unexpected takes on classic tailoring, celebrities have been turning Toronto into their own personal runway.
With TIFF taking over the city from September 10 to 20, we’ve rounded up 15 of the standout looks that caught our attention this year.
Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz brought a little old-school Hollywood glamour to the premiere of La Bola Negra.
The actor stepped onto the TIFF red carpet in a white Tamara Ralph Haute Couture gown finished with feather detailing. The all-white look was elegant and dramatic without needing a bold colour to make an impact.
Lisa
Blackpink star Lalisa Manobal went in a completely different direction for the premiere of Always, Lalisa, a documentary about her life.
She wore a brown velvet two-piece look by Louis Vuitton, pairing it with black leather accessories. Between the rich velvet and darker colour palette, this one practically screamed fall red carpet.
Rami Malek
Rami Malek put his own spin on classic red carpet suiting at the premiere of The Man I Love.
The actor wore a velvet suit with an unbuttoned patterned shirt, finishing the look with a matching tie draped casually over his shoulder. The relaxed styling gave the polished suit a cool, unexpected edge.
Fan Bingbing
Colour had its moment at TIFF this year, and Fan Bingbing made a case for going green.
For the world premiere of Being Heumann, the actor wore a strapless green mermaid gown by Lebanese designer Tony Ward. An embellished bodice added even more drama to the already statement-making silhouette.
Lily-Rose Depp
Butter yellow isn’t disappearing with summer just yet.
Lily-Rose Depp arrived at the Alpha Gang premiere wearing a dropped-waist butter-yellow dress from Chanel‘s Fall/Winter 2026 collection. The soft colour and unexpected silhouette made this one of the more understated looks on the TIFF red carpet.
Taraji P. Henson
Sometimes you just can’t beat a dramatic black gown.
Taraji P. Henson attended the premiere of Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been, which she produced, wearing a black beaded gown by Stéphane Rolland. The monochromatic look let the intricate beading and dramatic silhouette do all the talking.
Amanda Seyfried
Amanda Seyfried wasn’t exactly trying to blend into the red carpet crowd.
For the premiere of The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd, the actor chose a bright yellow Givenchy dress featuring cut-out detailing at the back. It was simple from the front with an unexpected detail waiting at the back, and the bold colour made it pretty hard to miss.
Davika Hoorne
Davika Hoorne went full red carpet drama for the premiere of Inherit.
The actor wore a black Zuhair Murad gown featuring sheer floral panelling, pairing the look with a bold red lip. The combination of sheer detailing, black fabric and that pop of red made this one especially striking.
Chloe Bailey
Chloe Bailey also proved that a black gown is anything but boring.
For The Julia Set, Bailey stepped out in a strapless black gown featuring a dramatic floor-sweeping side train and leg slit. The oversized train brought the kind of drama a TIFF red carpet calls for.
Shamier Anderson
Shamier Anderson brought a little Western energy to TIFF.
Ahead of the world premiere of his mockumentary Call Me Tim, the Canadian actor and director wore a dark orange suit styled with a bolo tie, cowboy hat and boots. It was easily one of the more playful takes on suiting we saw at the festival.
Aimee Lou Wood
Aimee Lou Wood leaned into romantic lace for the premiere of The Idiot(s).
The actor wore a sheer ivory lace dress by De La Vali, bringing a softer, more delicate look to the TIFF red carpet.
John Malkovich
Who said menswear has to mean a black suit?
John Malkovich arrived at the Wild Horse Nine premiere in a bright yellow suit paired with a patterned shirt from Giuliva Heritage and Etro. Against a sea of more traditional red carpet tailoring, the colour alone made this look stand out.
Mariana di Girolamo
Florals found their way onto the TIFF red carpet thanks to Mariana di Girolamo.
For the premiere of Wild Horse Nine, the actor wore a draped, backless floral gown by Christian Dior. The flowing silhouette and floral print offered a romantic alternative to the monochromatic gowns seen throughout the festival.
Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo knows how to make an entrance.
For the premiere of Prima Facie, Erivo wore a black-and-white fringed Dior by Jonathan Anderson gown, finishing the look with silver jewellery and white pumps. The dramatic fringe brought plenty of movement to an otherwise classic black-and-white colour palette.
Megan Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoe closed out our list with a statement suit.
At the premiere of Rapinoe, a documentary about her athletic career and activism, she wore an oversized suit by MIMCHIK, adding a red cummerbund and feathered brooch. The bold accessories gave the oversized tailoring an extra dose of red carpet personality.
TIFF 2026 Brought the Looks
From butter yellow and emerald green to dramatic black gowns and seriously good suits, TIFF’s red carpet delivered plenty of fashion inspiration this year.
And with the festival continuing through September 20, there may still be a few more looks worth adding to the best-dressed list before TIFF officially wraps for another year.
