Updated Jan. 10, 2026, 12:25 p.m. ET
SANTA MONICA, California − At the second annual WWD Style Awards, brevity was in vogue. So much so that a cheeky George Clooney let loose a certain four-letter word while jesting about a fellow actor.
The 64-year-old actor, arriving straight from an earlier appearance at the AFI Awards, kicked off the event on Friday, Jan. 9, by accepting the red carpet visionary award on behalf of the late Giorgio Armani, whose creations Clooney has often sported – most significantly, on his wedding day. The Italian fashion house founder died in September.
“It’s an odd thing to say: He was 91 years old, and he left us far too soon. He just celebrated 50 years in the industry,” Clooney said. “I would argue that if anyone should be up here talking about Giorgio, it should probably be Richard Gere. I think the two put each other on the map.”
“But since he couldn’t show up, and you know? F— him,” Clooney joked to thunderous laughter in the ballroom. The A-lister then wisely backtracked, perhaps in an effort to mitigate a potential viral video moment. “And that’s the only thing that will come out of this whole evening. I actually love him. Demi [Moore], stick with me on this one.”
Moore, who was honored as a fashion icon, was seated at one of the tables in front of Clooney.
“I’m only accepting this only on behalf of [Armani’s] family, his coworkers and his friends,” Clooney added. “And all I can say is I wish he was here to see this, but maybe he’s watching.”
Cameron Diaz, Mindy Kaling gush about the stylists, makeup artists who make them red-carpet ready
The evening’s guests appeared to appreciate the conciseness of a 90-minute ceremony that fell on the first day of a marathon weekend for Hollywood that leads up to the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 11.
The longest speeches from the 11 award recipients – which included Demi Moore, Pamela Anderson and Hailey Bieber – impressively only ran a few minutes, and the shortest speech of the night came from none other than Kourtney Kardashian Barker. The reality TV star, founder of vitamin and supplement line Lemme, boasted the title of wellness entrepreneur of the year.
The recipients’ succinctness, however, could have been lack of preparedness: “I was told there was no speeches tonight … so I’ll keep it very short and simple,” Bieber said while accepting the style trailblazer award.
The WWD Style Awards primarily celebrated those behind the curtain in Hollywood who create magic for A-list stars: stylists Erin Walsh and Jason Bolden, makeup artist Gucci Westman, hairstylist Adir Abergel and facialist Lord Gavin McLeod-Valentine. Standing by these artists as their cheerleaders were Cameron Diaz, Emily Blunt, Mindy Kaling, Kristen Stewart and Tyriq Withers.
Demi Moore bemoans not getting a photo of her dog Pilaf with George Clooney
Fashion icon Demi Moore waxed poetic about fashion as “a place to express [myself], to tell stories in a different way.” But she also poked fun at her less glamorous moments that aren’t typically captured on camera.
“As [stylist] Brad [Goreski] can tell you, if left to my own devices, I dress like a 12-year-old boy,” “The Substance” actress said. She then gave a shoutout to someone else who’s almost always at her side: her tiny chihuahua.
“I’m sorry I didn’t bring Pilaf tonight. I was informed that I was missing my chance to get a picture with her and George,” Moore told the crowd. “We’re working on a book that is Pilaf and her leading men.”
Switching to a more earnest tone, she opened up about her hope for self-acceptance in the new year.
“My 2026 [wish] is to continue with the acceptance of ourselves as we are. We don’t need to be different,” Moore said. “The most beautiful part of who we are is just being our unique selves, our imperfect selves.”
Hairstylist Adir Abergel jokes he almost left Kristen Stewart ‘bald’
Kristen Stewart, seated in between her hairstylist Abergel and her wife Dylan Meyer, was shown in a prerecorded video professing her love for someone who is “like a brother and sister and a best friend.”
Abergel repaid the compliment by calling Stewart – who recently released her directorial debut “The Chronology of Water” – a “fearless artist” who is unafraid of being nearly bald.
“Thank you so much for knowing me so deeply as a human, whether we’re shaving your head one day, bleaching your roots before a premiere or notching into your hair with kitchen scissors to the point where people yell at me asking me, ‘Listen! Why are you leaving her bald? What is the problem here?’ ” he said. “This is the kind of collaborator you are in my life. You are an absolutely fearless artist and an icon.”
This career, which started with Abergel behind a salon chair at age 16, has “given me my dream life.”
“In a world that often prescribes norms and convention, I’m inspired daily by those who dare to be different, who embrace their uniqueness and allow their personal style to narrate their stories,” Abergel said.
