Instagram Is Giving Out Gold Rings for Creativity. Here’s Who Got One

Instagram Is Giving Out Gold Rings for Creativity. Here’s Who Got One.

From Erling Haaland and Little Simz to fashion photographers, makeup artists and comedians, Instagram has chosen 25 creators for its 2026 Rings Awards.

Instagram has announced the 25 winners of its 2026 Rings Awards, celebrating creativity, originality and people who aren’t particularly interested in doing things the usual way.

First introduced in 2025, Rings is a little different from the typical social media award. It’s not based on follower counts, engagement rates or who managed to go viral last week. Instead, Instagram brought together a group of judges from fashion, music, film and other creative industries to choose people they believe are doing something genuinely interesting.

And looking at this year’s winners, the definition of a creator has become pretty broad.

From Fashion to Football

Among the winners are Indian model Bhavitha Mandava, makeup artist Sam Visser, footwear designer Salehe Bembury and photographer Renell Medrano.

There’s also Lyas, the Paris-based fashion commentator known for his La Watch Party events, and Vicky Montanari, whose personal style has attracted an international audience.

Music is represented by British rapper Little Simz, Mexican trio LATINMAFIA and singer-songwriter Joyce Alane.

Meanwhile, actor and comedian Jordan Firstman, Subway Takes host Kareem Rahma and comedian Pooja Tripathi have been recognised for their approaches to entertainment.

The list goes further. Choreographer Damien Jalet, filmmaker Medet Shayakhmetov, food creator Steven Gao and freestyle footballer Muhammed Riswan are all among the winners.

And then there’s Erling Haaland, who probably doesn’t need much of an introduction.

It’s a rather unexpected group of people to put in the same category. But that’s also what makes the awards interesting.

A Few of Our Favorites

With 25 winners from completely different creative worlds, choosing favorites isn’t exactly easy. Still, there are a few names we’re particularly happy to see on this year’s list.

Bhavitha Mandava is definitely one of them. Originally from Hyderabad, India, she was studying in New York when she was discovered on the subway. Since then, she’s walked for some of fashion’s biggest houses, made history as the first Indian model to open a Chanel show, and become one of the House’s ambassadors.

It’s the kind of story that sounds almost too good to be true. And we love seeing her get the recognition.

Another favorite is Lyas, who has managed to make fashion week feel a little less exclusive. His La Watch Party events bring people together to watch runway shows, turning something usually reserved for a select group of guests into an experience anyone can be part of. We especially love the idea that fashion can bring people together, rather than keep them apart.

And then there’s Renell Medrano, the Bronx-born photographer whose work has appeared in major fashion publications and campaigns. Her photographs have a certain intimacy to them, even when she’s shooting some of the biggest names in fashion and entertainment. There’s something very personal about her work, and it’s always interesting to see how she captures people.

Of course, these are just a few of the names that caught our attention. From Sam Visser’s makeup artistry to Little Simz’s music and Damien Jalet’s choreography, the entire list is full of people who have found their own ways of creating something worth paying attention to.

Who Decides What’s Creative?

This year’s judging panel is almost as interesting as the winners themselves.

Donatella Versace, A$AP Rocky, FINNEAS, filmmaker Chloé Zhao, designer Emily Adams Bode Aujla and makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench are among the 14 judges who helped select the winners.

The judges nominated creators and voted on the final selection, looking at originality, creative risks and impact.

It’s an interesting approach, particularly for a platform where success is usually measured in numbers.

Of course, creativity is subjective. And having a panel of famous people decide who deserves recognition doesn’t necessarily make the process any less subjective.

But there is something refreshing about an award that at least tries to look beyond popularity.

There’s an Actual Gold Ring

The winners receive more than a title.

Each is awarded a specially designed physical ring, created this year by Emily Adams Bode Aujla, the designer behind Bode. The design features a four-leaf clover cut from Connemara marble, referencing the idea of making your own luck through creativity.

Winners also receive special recognition on Instagram, including a golden ring around their profile pictures.

It’s a very Instagram way of celebrating creativity. Give someone a beautiful object, then make sure everyone on the app can see that they have it.

Still, the most interesting part isn’t the ring itself.

It’s seeing how many different forms creativity can take, and how people with completely different interests can end up being celebrated for the same reason: doing something their own way.

Congratulations to all 25 winners from Glow After! We’re genuinely happy to see so many creative people being recognised for their work. Whether it’s fashion, photography, music, art or something that doesn’t quite fit into any category, we love seeing people bring their ideas to life.

And we’re excited to see what they do next.