Gold House celebrated the most impactful Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders at the fifth annual Gold Gala in Los Angeles this weekend, with a guest list that joined Priyanka Chopra and delivered everything from couture fantasy to sculptural glamour, theatrical dressing, and high-shine embellishment, while also championing a strong lineup of Asian designers on the red carpet.
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Ice Queen
Ejae wore a Leje pale blue satin gown complete with floral appliqué and dramatic gathered hip detailing, which had all the makings of a grand couture moment. Unfortunately, the skirt lacked the necessary understructure to support the silhouette, and the visible pulling through the fabric distracted from what could have been a striking look.
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Gilded Drama
Esther Yu wore Laurence Xu Spring 2014 Couture, serving a richly detailed look that balanced opulence with drama. The gold embroidery across the bodice immediately draws the eye, while the deep rust-toned textile gives the gown an antique tapestry effect that feels distinctly in line with Laurence Xu’s ornate couture language.
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However, I have a feeling that the black tulle and feathered train will divide opinion, but I love how it shifts the mood entirely, adding contrast and a sense of grandeur. A gold Jimmy Choo Bon Bon pouch finished the look.
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Silver Fade
Adeline Rudolph wore Paolo Sebastian Spring 2025 Couture, delivering a far softer mood in this fringed gown. The intricate crystal embroidery across the sheer bodice gave the look its delicacy. What makes this gown stand out is the gradual fade on the fringed skirt into charcoal at the hem.
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Pretty In Peplum
Anna Cathcart wore Bach Mai, giving the peplum silhouette an update, as the contrast between the textured black dress and soft pink accent kept the look playful.
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Golden Mosaic
Arden Cho wore a Rahul Mishra Fall 2025 Couture gown that had a strong Gustav Klimt influence with its mosaic of mirrored embellishments, which also inspired Gracie Abrams’ Chanel Met Gala gown. The green necklace wouldn’t have been my first choice, but it doesn’t kill the mood.
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Futuristic Armour
Bella Poarch wore Phan Huy Fall 2025 Couture, serving futuristic glamour in a heavily embellished silver gown. The exaggerated curved neckline and layered beading gave the dress a sculptural quality, while her graphic hairstyle pushed the look further into editorial territory.
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Cut-Out Simplicity
Chloe Kim wore Chats by C.Dam in a rich teal off-the-shoulder cut-out gown, which, when compared to some of the more embellished looks on this carpet, stood out for its simplicity. The draping was clean, and the colour worked beautifully on her.
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Bubble Trouble
Chrissy Teigen wore Aisté Hong, which I like in part. And that part is the exaggerated bubble hem. The body of the dress needed a lot more finessing. However, I’m here for that slightly surreal couture quality that makes these oversized shapes fun on the red carpet.
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Classic Contrast
Da’Vine Joy Randolph wore 11 Honoré in a black-and-white strapless gown that leaned into timeless eveningwear codes. Nice, but instantly forgettable. I really miss her work with Wayman and Micah.
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Layers Of Drama
I have a feeling that some will be put off by Eileen Gu’s Andrew Kwon Fall 2024 Couture pink tulle layered asymmetrical high-low gown, along with the sugary hue, but I always expect these playful moments from Eileen. It sits firmly in her wheelhouse.
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Crystal Rain
Elizabeth Yu wore a Phan Huy Spring 2026 Couture gown with a white layered tulle skirt that created a cloud-like effect, while the vertical crystal beading fell through the sheer layers like rain. The corseted bodice added structure without taking away from the delicacy of the idea. This could have easily read bridal, but the transparency and scattered embellishment gave it a dreamier, more atmospheric finish.
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Who’s That Girl?
Every time I see H.E.R. on the red carpet without sunglasses, I never recognise her. But it wasn’t just the lack of shades that threw me off, it was also the gorgeous new curly hairstyle and this Spring 2026 Couture gown by Phan Huy. This isn’t her go-to style, but it was the right call for a red carpet where gala glamour was clearly the dress code. I love how the layered red appliqués almost resemble cascading hearts.
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Sheer Chaos
Halsey’s Rahul Mishra Spring 2024 Couture gown was too sheer for this red carpet. When I have to edit out your areolas, you have gone too far. At this point, why bother wearing a dress at all?
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Dark Romance
There were a lot of ethereal hues on this red carpet, but Havana Rose Liu went in a completely different direction in this Oude Waag Fall 2026 gown rendered in three shades of deep oxblood. Slightly moody, but beautifully designed. I think the lightness in the skirt prevents it from feeling too heavy.
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Soft Geometry
Ji-young Yoo wore Phan Huy Spring 2025 Couture, and I loved the sculptural quality of this white one-shoulder gown. The diamond-shaped embellishment across the bodice and peplum detailing gave the dress structure, while the long clean skirt upheld the elegance.
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Butter Yellow Bubble Peplum
Karen Fukuhara wore a PatBo Spring 2026 floral appliqué bandeau with a sequinned column skirt, embracing not only one of the trends of this event – the bubble peplum – but also the current season’s love of butter yellow. I love how fresh this feels.
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Architectural Illusion
Leah Lewis wore Phan Huy Fall 2025 Couture in a nude illusion gown that leaned heavily into corsetry references. The structured linear detailing framing the body gave the look an almost cage-like effect, while the soft tulle skirt added fluidity. I know the question will be: did it need to be sheer? I think the answer might be yes in this instance.
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Fan-Fare Couture
Liza Soberano also wore Phan Huy Fall 2025 Couture, delivering one of the most original couture moments of the night. The fan-like appliqués framing the bodice and hips instantly set this look apart, creating a sculptural silhouette that felt part fashion illustration, part wearable art. Every angle revealed another intricate detail, from the geometric beadwork to the architectural shaping that gave the gown its striking form. What I love most is how the design balances delicacy with drama. But I don’t feel it needed the train, which looks slightly like a fish fin.
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Pattern Play
Mindy Kaling wore a richly patterned Anita Dongre Spring 2026 Couture beaded column gown mixing shades of teal, blue, and green in an ornate motif.
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Retro Future Gold
Piper Curda wore Sebastian Gunawan in a sculptural gold two-piece that instantly stood out thanks to the exaggerated collar and hip detailing. It had a retro sci-fi quality that I feel inspired the beauty look.
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Golden Precision
Gold gowns and embellishments were one of the strongest trends of the night, with Poorna Jagannathan following suit in this Do Long gown, delivering one of the sleekest metallic moments of the evening.
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Couture Priestess
Ramona Young wore Le Than Hoa Spring 2025 Couture, and this was pure theatrical glamour. Between the ornate embroidery, sculpted corsetry, dramatic hooded veil, and rich bronze tones, the look felt almost ceremonial.
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Golden Glamour Meets Black Tie
Ryan Michelle Bathe wore Pamella Roland Pre-Fall 2026 with the richness of a metallic corset bodice, while the sleek black skirt and dramatic draped train added to the sense of occasion. The contrast between the sculpted gold top and fluid black silhouette gave the gown a timeless elegance that felt perfectly suited to the night.
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Soft Florals
Supriya Ganesh wore Naeem Khan Spring 2026 in a softly embellished floral gown that felt romantic without becoming saccharine. The pale blush tone combined with the subtle shimmer embroidery gave the dress a lightness that worked beautifully for the setting. After so many structured and heavily embellished looks throughout the night, this softer direction felt refreshing.
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Andrew Kwon, Bach Mai, Bella Poarch, Chloe Kim, Chrissy Teigen, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Do Long, Eileen Gu, EJAE, H.E.R., Halsey, Havana Rose Liu, Laurence Xu, Mindy Kaling, Naeem Khan, Oude Waag, Pamella Roland, Paolo Sebastian, PatBo, Poorna Jagannathan, Rahul Mishra, Sebastian Gunawan