Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner at The Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 4. Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment As The Hollywood Reporter and Launchmetrics kick off the Red Carpet Power Rankings for the third consecutive year, the impact of walking the red carpet - or avoiding it altogether - enjoyed a klieg light of attention at the first awards show of the 2026 season, Sunday's Critics Choice Awards. The woman who topped the Power Rankings, for both herself and the designers she wore, should come as no surprise: Wicked: For Good's Ariana Grande, whose 372 million Instagram followers can cause any of her posts on that social media platform to top a million or more likes. That's the essence of 21st-century star power. But when stars skip the red carpet, consequences emerge in the numbers. Marty Supreme star and Critics Choice winner Timothée Chalamet eschewed a walk on the event's black carpet with longtime girlfriend Kylie Jenner, and instead was first seen inside Santa Monica's Barker Hangar with Jenner during host Chelsea Handler's monologue. The lack of a carpet appearance plummeted Chalamet in the Rankings, from regular first-place finishes in 2025 to fifth place at Critics Choice, while his Givenchy suit didn't make the cut among fashion brands. Stars undeniably are able to choose whether they'd like to walk an event's carpet, but those with massive followings are able to garner ample attention without doing so. More on that in a moment. The Red Carpet Power Rankings are produced exclusively as a partnership between THR and data firm Launchmetrics, which for 2026 is measuring the awards season's five major events - Critics Choice, the Golden Globes, Grammys, The Actor Awards (formerly SAG Awards) and the Academy Awards - plus May's Met Gala. Launchmetrics employs its proprietary Media Impact Value (MIV) algorithm to analyze and rank both brands and stars, spanning five categories: fashion, watches and jewelry and accessories, as well as the top five women and the top five men at each event. The Launchmetrics MIV algorithm assigns a monetary value to every post, social media interaction and editorial story to determine a brand's influence and earned engagement. What does Sunday's Critics Choice Awards reveal about top stars and brands? Here's a look at who made the Power Rankings and how they set the tone for the coming season. Top 10 Fashion Brands: Alberta Ferretti Enjoys a Wicked Good Evening Getty Images Star power is evident throughout this list - and not only in Grande's influence on the first-place finish for her custom gown by Alberta Ferretti. Many eagle-eyed fashion fans also pointed out how the pink satin dress with crystal-accented tulle overlay felt like a tribute to a gown worn by Diahann Carroll at the 1969 Academy Awards. The homage also makes sense when you consider that image architect Law Roach loves an iconic vintage reference, an idea that amps up the anticipation for what Grande will wear throughout this awards season. Ralph Lauren's high placement is likewise due to one woman: Elle Fanning, who chose a 2003 gold bias-cut gown from the designer's archives. Louis Vuitton and Dior enjoy their prominent positions likely due to the number of people dressed by each house: 10 by the former, including Chase Infiniti and Joel Edgerton, while the latter outfitted seven, including Critics Choice winner Amy Madigan, Mia Goth and Leonardo DiCaprio. If any brand defied the odds, it was Versace, the label behind one gown seen Sunday night. Kylie Jenner's team purchased the 1996 lace and chainmail gown she wore for the Critics Choice Awards from Los Angeles-based Tab Vintage, a studio that curates one-of-a-kind archival pieces and does not loan under any circumstances. In addition to Jenner posting about the dress to her 391 million Instagram followers, Vogue also highlighted the behind-the-scenes details of her look on its site Monday morning. Combine the two, and a carpet appearance wasn't needed to convey influence - then again, imagine the numbers if it had happened. Top 5 Women on the Red Carpet: Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti are the Ones to Watch Getty Images Grande and Alberta Ferretti may have been an unbeatable one-two combination to top the night's influential stars and who they wore, but if there's anyone who promises to create thrilling style moments this season, it's One Battle After Another's Teyana Taylor, who did not disappoint Sunday in her menswear-influenced look by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. Taylor is a favorite among fashion insiders for her fearless approach to fashion, exuding an undeniable confidence in everything she wears. Among the predictions for 2026 is that she will rise higher in the Powe