“I’ve never won an award before,” makeup artist Sheika Daley told the room while accepting her Makeup Stylist Visionary Award at the inaugural Art of Glam: Honoring the Hands Behind the Beauty awards dinner on Wednesday. It’s hard to believe a creative who has worked with celebrities including Kelly Rowland and Zendaya, and brands such as Lancôme and Prabal Gurung, would just now be honored for the very first time in her career. But that’s precisely why the event was created — to recognize the artistry behind red-carpet looks.
Ruth E. Carter, Janell Stephens, Sheika Daley and Kelly Rowland on the red carpet for the 2026 Art of Glam AwardsPhoto: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
Its creator, Camille Rose founder and CEO Janell Stephens, “simply wanted to create a space for artists who shape beauty and culture to be celebrated,” she told the packed ballroom at The Maybourne Beverly Hills just days before the Oscars. “The beauty industry has always been empowered by incredible creatives — the hairstylists, the makeup artists, wardrobe stylists and visionaries behind the scenes — who bring beauty to life,” she continued. “Some of these artists, especially the ones who [work] in multicultural hair and beauty, have always been the heart of this industry. But not always in the spotlight.”
Camille Friend accepts Cinematic Hairstylist Visionary Award from Samuel L. Jackson at the 2026 Art of Glam AwardsPhoto: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
Guests included Samuel L. Jackson, who presented the Cinematic Hairstylist Visionary Award to Oscar-nominated hairstylist Camille Friend. “This award is powerful because it sees how I see myself and how I do the work,” Friend said. Also in the beauty and grooming category, John Mosley received the Barber Visionary Award and spoke about the importance of being an educator to inspire the next generation. His education material has even been incorporated into Paul Mitchell school programs, which are taught across the country. Tym Wallace received the Red Carpet Hair Visionary Award.One of the most poignant moments of the night was when Sergio Hudson accepted the Fashion Visionary Award. The designer admitted he’s dressed his fair share of powerful women (former First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Kamala Harris and Beyoncé, to name just a few), but has a bigger purpose for his brand. “My dream now is to build a legacy house that we can call our own,” he said. “And by ‘we,’ I mean Black people.”
Sergio Hudson accepts Fashion Visionary Award at the 2026 Art of Glam AwardsPhoto: Paras Griffin/WireImage
Hudson told the story of when he first moved to L.A. and took a meeting with a buyer at a “famous boutique.” The buyer looked at his collection and told him, “We’ve got clothes like this in Paris. Your clothes should be more urban.” He spoke about the battle of being “boxed in” and “being put in the category of a monolith.” That day, he said, he made a vow to “show the world that an African-American boy from Ridgeway, South Carolina, a descendant of slaves and God knows who else…that I am American, I am American sportswear, I can do what everyone else is doing and I can do it better because of my background.”Like Mosley, Hudson stressed the importance of showing up for those coming up behind him. He hopes “the next generation that comes up doesn’t have to go through the struggles we went through to get to where we are right now. I want to make it a little bit easier for the next Black boy or Black girl that comes into this industry and doesn’t feel included,” he said.Hudson also spoke about why award shows like the Art of Glam are so important. “Because if we don’t honor each other, who else is going to do it?” he said to a round of applause. “If we wait around for other people to honor us, we’re going to be waiting forever.”Also in the fashion category, Vincent Smith received the Style Disruptor Award, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room when he thanked his parents, who came to L.A. from Birmingham, Alabama. “To be seen is something every artist strives for no matter what they do. Thank you for seeing me,” he said.
Ruth E. Carter accepts the Janelle Stephens Lifetime Achievement Award from Da’Vine Joy Randolph the 2026 Art of Glam AwardsPhoto: Christopher Horne
The final honor of the night, the Janell Stephens Lifetime Achievement Award, went to costume designer Ruth E. Carter. This year, she became the most-nominated Black woman in Academy Awards history after earning her fifth nomination for Best Costume Design for “Sinners.” Carter previously won the category for “Black Panther and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”Carter’s friend and fellow Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph presented her with the award and spoke for close to 10 minutes about Carter’s incredible attention to detail and true “artistry and craftsmanship.” Carter then shared that she had made Oscars history, but still, this award from her peers meant a lot.”I’m proud to receive from you the lifetime achievement award,” she said. “For many of us, our relationship with glam carries history. Sometimes our desire to look beautiful, to show up polished, to make a statement, came from moments when we had very little, when the world didn’t always reflect our beauty back to us. So we created it ourselves.”Fashionista is the leading online destination for current and aspiring fashion and beauty industry professionals. Reach businesses, students and consumers alike with our range of digital offerings.
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