Gen Z style icons poised to shape 2026 fashion, from Bhavita Mandava to Zara Larsson
The year 2026 promises fresh faces on fashion’s most public stages, blending individual trajectories from music, film and modelling into a broader sartorial conversation. This generation’s visibility is rooted in their cross‑platform influence: trailers and award circuits, music tours and runway seasons. What binds them is not a single aesthetic but a breadth of personal expression that fashion editors and brands have increasingly foregrounded in recent seasons.
From established performers who have incrementally expanded their wardrobes to emerging talents whose first major fashion moments have already made headlines, Gen Z style icons are quietly reshaping what audiences see at major red carpet premieres and in the front rows of couture shows. The looks they wear and the platforms they occupy reflect an evolving interplay between heritage houses and new personalities, signalling a shift in how youth culture intersects with high fashion.
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Zara Larsson
The Swedish singer’s public appearances in 2025 combined performance outfits with a street style sensibility that editors tracked through her tour cycle and promotional appearances. Bright colours, sequins and hybrid casual‑glam combinations have been documented across cities during her Midnight Sun tour and festival runs as well as in editorial shoots.
Larsson’s visibility on social media and music stages suggests she will remain a fixture on red carpets where artists integrate fashion partnerships with their public persona. As one of the Gen Z style icons active through 2025, her evolving fashion repertoire will be one to watch in early awards seasons.
Bhavitha Mandava
Model Bhavitha Mandava emerged in late 2025 as a noteworthy runway presence after opening Chanel’s Métiers d’art 2026 show in New York, a moment widely covered in fashion press. Her runway debut followed shows for Bottega Veneta and Dior earlier in the year, situating her amid the high fashion circuit. That trajectory positions Mandava among the Gen Z style icons likely to appear on major runways throughout 2026, as designers continue to cast new faces in collections that mix heritage and contemporary voices.
Odessa A’zion
Actress Odessa A’zion spent 2025 across diverse film and television projects, earning editor attention in Harper’s Bazaar’s year‑end round‑ups. While her fashion coverage is tied to promotional cycles rather than couture seasons so far, visibility in high‑profile projects sets the stage for broader red carpet dressing. A’zion’s public wardrobe choices as she promotes upcoming releases will contribute to her recognition among Gen Z style icons in the year ahead.
Olivia Dean
British singer Olivia Dean’s fashion moments in 2025, including appearances in tailored pieces and vibrant sets noted by style editors, reflect a blend of classic and contemporary treatment that has drawn attention on promotional platforms. Dean’s presence in both music coverage and fashion circles places her among Gen Z style icons whose red carpet looks will inform early 2026 trends.
Chase Infiniti
Actor Chase Infiniti’s crossover from acting into fashion attention gained momentum in 2025 with roles in One Battle After Another and Presumed Innocent. As Infiniti engages with promotional schedules in the coming year, red carpet styling is likely to become a more visible aspect of her public persona, aligning with the broader cohort of Gen Z style icons whose fashion narratives evolve alongside their careers.
Emilia Jones
Following her acting roles in Coda, Running Man, Locke & Key andTask, Emilia Jones sustained media focus through interviews and festival appearances in 2025. While not yet associated with a specific fashion trend, her growing profile suggests that stylists and brands may increasingly feature her in curated looks for screenings and premieres, bringing her into conversations around emerging Gen Z style icons.
Lola Tung
Lola Tung’s massive year featured the culmination of The Summer I Turned Pretty series, which put her on the map as her beloved character Belly and a Gen Z style icon on the red carpet. Engagements tied to promotional cycles create opportunities for stylists to introduce looks that contribute to Tung’s visibility as one of the Gen Z style icons making the transition between screen and style platforms.
Katseye
The global K‑pop group Katseye achieved broader visibility in late 2025 through music coverage that also highlighted their collective fashion identity. Their blend of streetwear and coordinated styling has been noted as part of the Gen Z fashion landscape, and group appearances at music and cultural events in 2026 will intersect with red carpet and fashion coverage, situating them within the roster of Gen Z style icons influencing looks across continents.
Ejae
Singer‑songwriter Ejae gained wider attention in 2025 through her work on the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters, providing the singing voice for Rumi and co‑writing the chart‑topping soundtrack song “Golden”. A former K‑pop trainee, she has contributed to releases by Red Velvet, Aespa, Twice and Le Sserafim, and has appeared on Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, drawing attention for her vocals and style. She has also debuted her solo single “In Another World”, marking her transition to performing artist. Although older, Ejae is positioned as a style icon for Gen Z, likely to appear in red carpet and fashion coverage in 2026.
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Across these figures, what emerges is not a single uniform aesthetic but a set of public presences whose wardrobes are subject to interpretation by stylists, editors and audiences. Some are already integrated into fashion cycles through runway work or editorial features; others will enter that space as their careers evolve. Collectively, they represent a cohort of Gen Z style icons whose wardrobe choices will offer a lens on how young cultural figures navigate the visible intersections of fashion, media and celebrity in 2026.
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