The Costume Designers Guild is shining a spotlight on two women whose work—on screen and behind the scenes—has shaped culture, style, and storytelling.
At the 28th Costume Designers Guild Awards, Teyana Taylor will receive the Vanguard Spotlight Award, while legendary costume designer Michelle Cole will be honored with the Career Achievement Award. Both accolades will be presented during the guild’s annual ceremony on Thursday, February 12, at The Ebell of Los Angeles.
READ: Ruth E. Carter and Paul Tazewell Shine in 2026 CDGA Nominations
The Vanguard Spotlight Award recognizes a trailblazer whose influence stretches beyond a single discipline—someone who sparks imagination and pushes creative boundaries. Taylor embodies that spirit. A performer who seamlessly moves between music, film, fashion, choreography, and directing, she has built a career defined by intention and evolution rather than limitation.
This awards season, Taylor’s presence has been especially felt for her performance in One Battle After Another, where she stars opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn under the direction of Paul Thomas Anderson. Her work in the film has earned her multiple Best Supporting Actress honors from critics groups and nominations across major awards bodies. It’s a moment that reflects not only her range as an actor, but her growing command of cinematic space.
Beyond that role, Taylor’s screen work spans projects like The Book of Clarence, Coming 2 America, White Men Can’t Jump, and Hulu’s All’s Fair, where she appears alongside Kim Kardashian. Each project adds another layer to a career that has never followed a straight line—but has always moved forward.
While Taylor represents the future-facing energy of the guild’s honors, Michelle Cole’s Career Achievement Award recognizes a legacy that helped build the foundation.
With more than four decades in the industry, Cole is widely regarded as one of television’s most influential costume designers. Her résumé includes nine Emmy nominations and an unmistakable imprint on shows that defined eras of Black television—from In Living Color, where she styled the iconic Fly Girls, to Black-ish, Grown-ish, The Bernie Mac Show, Martin, The Soul Man, and Kickin’ It. Her work didn’t just dress characters; it shaped how audiences understood them.
In addition to her creative contributions, Cole has long been a mentor and advocate within the industry and currently serves as a board member of the Costume Designers Guild—making her impact as structural as it is artistic.
The 2026 ceremony continues a year of meaningful recognition for costume designers whose work drives storytelling forward. Last month, the guild announced nominations for designers including Ruth E. Carter (Sinners) and Paul Tazewell (Wicked: For Good), both six-time CDGA nominees whose careers have set benchmarks for excellence across film, television, and theater.
Together, the honors for Taylor and Cole underscore what the Costume Designers Guild has long championed: that style is not decoration—it’s narrative, history, and identity in motion.
The 28th Costume Designers Guild Awards will celebrate excellence in film, television, and short-form costume design for 2025, with winners announced February 12, 2026, at The Ebell of Los Angeles.