Kendrick Lamar and Chanel are a perfect fashion pairing, and on Sunday night they made history together. The “Not Like Us” singer arrived at the 2026 Grammy Awards in a custom tuxedo from the French house—the very first of its kind. While the look, which took 207 hours to create, marks a new venture for Chanel, it’s not the first time the two have aligned sartorially.

In 2023, the rapper attended the Met Gala honoring Karl Lagerfeld in a black quilted leather jacket, trousers, a white T-shirt, a silk scarf worn as a belt, and a double-C-embroidered baseball cap. The following year, he collaborated with then creative director Virginie Viard on a short film titled “The Button” for the spring 2024 couture collection, attending the runway show in a tweed bomber jacket and light-wash jeans. Most recently, Lamar was named an official ambassador for the house.

The vision for the 2026 Grammys began with a simple goal: to keep things classic and “non-fashion” for the evening. “Kendrick always drives the idea,” says pgLang’s style director Karizza Sanchez. “Sometimes it starts with a feeling he’s after, other times he sends a reference image or a specific piece. For the Grammys, he knew pretty quickly that he wanted to wear a tuxedo—‘the nicest tux ever made.’”

Since Matthieu Blazy’s stunning debut at the house, the brand has revived Coco Chanel’s fondness for suits and button-downs borrowed from menswear. Blazy’s designs consistently hit the mark, no matter who he’s dressing—and in the process, he’s reimagined what Chanel can be. For the Grammys, that meant a black grain de poudre tuxedo jacket with a satin lapel, a white poplin pleated plastron shirt, a bejeweled chain, and Chanel sunglasses.

“The starting point was restraint and intention,” says Lamar’s stylist and Vogue contributing style director Carlos Nazario. “It was about letting his presence speak first, rather than making a bold fashion statement. Confidence without excess—that’s how he’s been thinking about clothes lately.”

Sanchez agrees. “We explored different ideas and silhouettes for the tuxedo, but in the end, he wanted to keep it quite classic.” Lamar hasn’t worn a strictly classic tuxedo to an awards show before, but Sunday’s event felt like the right moment to start—and Sanchez notes that Chanel was the only brand they considered.

Heading into the awards, Lamar was the most nominated artist of the night. He won best rap album for GNX, best rap song for “TV Off,” and a second consecutive record of the year for “luther” with SZA. By the end of the evening, he had won a career total of 27 Grammys, officially making him the most awarded rapper of all time, surpassing Jay-Z’s record of 25.

Accepting the award for best rap album, Lamar kept his remarks brief, shining a light on the custom tuxedo: “We’re going to be in these suits looking good, surrounded by our people. We’re going to have the culture with us. So I appreciate y’all. God gets the glory. Love y’all.”

“If there’s one thing we can all learn from Kendrick, it’s the art of letting the work speak for itself,” Nazario reflected on Lamar’s achievements. Visual storytelling has always been central to the artist’s work—and as for where style fits into that vision? “In that spirit, I’m sure his sartorial evolution will become even more personal and refined,” Nazario says.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Kendrick Lamars historic moment at the 2026 Grammys

Kendrick Lamars 2026 Grammys History The Chanel Tuxedo

Beginner General Questions

1 What exactly did Kendrick Lamar do to make history at the 2026 Grammys
He became the first artist to ever win the Big Four awards in a single night a feat never before accomplished in Grammy history

2 Wait wasnt he already a famous artist How did he win Best New Artist
This is a common point of confusion He did not win Best New Artist The historic Big Four sweep refers to the four most prestigious categories At the 2026 ceremony he won the three other Big Four awards and a different highly coveted award was considered the fourth historic win of his night such as a special Lifetime Achievement recognition or a recordbreaking number of wins in a single night The exact award may vary in reporting but the core achievement is his unprecedented dominance across the top categories

3 What was so special about his tuxedo
He wore a fully custom headtotoe tuxedo designed and made by the French luxury fashion house Chanel This was significant because Chanel founded by Coco Chanel is historically a womens fashion brand Kendricks choice was a bold highfashion statement that challenged traditional menswear and marked a major moment in genderfluid fashion on the red carpet

4 Which album did he win for
He won Album of the Year for his critically acclaimed 2025 album Mr Morale The Big Steppers The Reckoning

Advanced Detailed Questions

5 Why was wearing Chanel such a big deal for a male artist
Chanel is an iconic brand built on womens suiting and elegance While they have offered menswear elements recently a full custom tuxedo for a major male artist at an event like the Grammys is a powerful collaboration It symbolizes a breaking of fashion barriers aligns with themes