Instagram Revives Rings Award With Donatella Versace and A$AP Rocky on Judging Panel
Instagram is reviving its Rings award, which recognizes 25 creators who take creative risks across fashion, music, and other fields. This year’s judges include Donatella Versace, A$AP Rocky, Emily Adams Bode Aujla, Will Welch, Isamaya Ffrench, Adam Mosseri, and Eva Chen. Winners will be announced October 29 and will receive a BODE-designed gold ring plus special profile features.
Instagram is reinstating its Rings honor, which spotlights 25 people who take creative chances on the platform across fashion, music and other areas. This year’s panel includes Donatella Versace, A$AP Rocky, Emily Adams Bode Aujla, Will Welch, Isamaya Ffrench, Adam Mosseri and Eva Chen.
Recipients will be named October 29 and get a gold ring made by BODE along with profile enhancements. There is no public entry process: Instagram’s creator teams assess its worldwide audience—more than three billion monthly users—and select the final 25. Last year’s group received a Grace Wales Bonner ring and a story-active profile-picture ring.
The revived award may shape how creators perceive risk-taking and visibility on a major platform. Emerging designers, musicians, and digital storytellers could see the recognition as validation, potentially influencing career opportunities and audience attention. Because selection is internal, the process may also prompt discussion about how platforms define creativity and whose work gets amplified. Observers may watch whether the profile features translate into broader reach or commercial prospects.