Teyana Taylor wins the gold medal across this entire awards season. Not only did she wear a series of show-stopping gowns by brands such as Chanel and Tom Ford, to name but a few, but she also wore her muscles with pride. Her physique is the result of years of efforts in training, honed through her own workout method, Fade2Fit. Her 90-day dance-based fitness program was inspired by her ‘Fade’ music video, featuring sculpting exercises and meal plans that can be done at home. Her strength carried her gracefully on the red carpet for her first nomination at the Grammys; her muscles, appearing hand-carved, proved that time, attention, and intention would be worth the payoff.

It’s hard to outshine this feathered look from Matthieu Blazy’s debut Chanel collection, but Rosalia’s back and abs captured our attention more than her outfit: her sculpted spine and elegant shoulders, revealed at the Brit Awards in London, proved she never skipped a back day workout. In an interview with GQ, Rosalia revealed she travels with her own 5kg dumbbells and light equipment to ensure she can always get a workout in, especially on event days or during her tours. Her go-tos include tricep extensions and overhead presses.

Tessa Thompson exhibited her strength when she became the first Afro-Latina woman to be nominated for the Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture: Drama award. Wearing a scintillating dress by Pierpaolo Piccoli for Balenciaga, Thompson also turned her accessories into a symbol of solidarity and power. On her wrists and fingers were stacks of sparkling rings, and in her hands was a clutch bag, finished with miniature badges, one of which said “Ice Out”. Her elegant decolletage and shoulders carried her message; during filming for Thor, it was reported that Thompson’s training involved 100 push-ups a day, completed in 2x 50 reps. 

The basketball star proved the power of bouncing a basketball on the court: her biceps and shoulders are hewn as if sculpted by Michelangelo, showing that endless upper-body conditioning truly creates glamour muscles. Diggins is one of many athletes to become a red carpet regular; she attended the Golden Globes during a period of downtime between WNBA seasons. 

Keke Palmer gave us serious glute envy at the Oscars afterparty, wearing a sumptuous purple gown by Gucci that was slashed across the hip to reveal her gains. These results were honed over the past few years with the help of her trainer, Corey Calliet. Palmer’s favored routine involves goblet squats, glute bridges, and kettlebell swings, and her body transformed quickly after she started resistance training five times a week. According to Calliet, she also began eating more to fuel her workouts. When gain becomes the goal, glamorous glutes soon follow.

Wearing a squared-neck Prada gown with a backless cutout, Kerry Washington showed off her statuesque stance, thanks to her five or six-day training weeks: she combines weight training with a lot of Pilates. Standing tall with relaxed traps and an elongated neckline, Washington proved that form and alignment work create a beautiful posture, evoking a regal stance on the red carpet. Remember: Pilates posture creates the aura of innate power. Try it during your recovery days. 

Jane Fonda got our vote as the original pioneer of the Hollywood workout; between 1982 and 1995, the actor sold 17 million copies of the Jane Fonda Workout video. Attending the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where she was presented with the 60th SAG Life Achievement Award, the 87-year-old proved that exercise really is the key to staying forever young.

Hudson showed off her solid core at the Oscars after-party, with her Gucci gown strategically showcasing her defined abs. According to trainer Megan Roup, who worked with Hudson prior to the Oscars, her ab routine involved a mix of low-impact Pilates-style training with light resistance. Her six-step routine included alternating toe taps with hand weights x8, plus cross-body knee pulls with a Pilates ball x8. Discover the full workout via Roup’s Instagram. 

The British model takes the award for the most innovative take on red-carpet muscle. Her Thom Browne dress featured a sheer bodice decorated with thousands of delicate embellishments, designed to mimic muscle, flesh, and connective tissue. Thom Browne and Delevingne gave us an early indication as to how fashion designers might respond to the 2026 Met Gala theme, which is the body. It’s further proof that muscle is glamorous, and while muscle is the one true luxury as an item you can not buy, Thom Browne sure makes a case for muscle as a fashion statement.