Cardi B is now the face of Old Navy’s Fall 2026 ‘Most Wanted Denim’ campaign, a partnership she says feels full circle after admitting on Instagram Live that she used to steal clothes from the brand’s stores throughout high school. She joked that she never once got caught, and credited those unpaid cardigans with helping her stay one of the best dressed kids at school at the time.

Why is Cardi calling this a full circle moment specifically?

Because Old Navy has been part of her life well before any partnership existed. She’s said her mother took the family there every year specifically to buy Fourth of July outfits, treating the tradition seriously, and that shopping there as a kid made stepping into this campaign feel natural rather than like a typical celebrity endorsement. She’s also said the brand’s sizing works well for her own body type, something she’s brought up in her usual direct, joking style during press around the launch.

🇺🇸 Cardi B just secured a contract with Old Navy as a brand ambassador, and she wasted no time showing her appreciation with a heartwarming story about her shoplifting days:

“Thank you, Old Navy for holding me down in high school; I used to steal from you all the time.

It’s…

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 14, 2026

Is Cardi the only star in this campaign?

No, she leads a full cast that includes Quenlin Blackwell, Paloma Elsesser, Brooks Nader, Haley Baylee and Wisdom Kaye, all featured in a Wild West themed shoot Old Navy is describing as a cinematic adventure. The campaign continues the brand’s ongoing “It’s Old Navy” series, which launched earlier this summer fronted by Paris Hilton, positioning Cardi’s involvement as the next major chapter in that push rather than a standalone deal.

What’s actually new about the denim itself?

A new fit called the Arc Jean, a mid rise style with a curved leg that puts Old Navy’s own spin on the barrel leg silhouette that’s been everywhere this year. Old Navy’s chief creative officer Zac Posen said the campaign is meant to celebrate denim’s connection to individuality, while the brand’s head of design Sarah Holme has said the priority across the collection is offering real style and quality across a wide range of sizes and fits. Prices in the fall lineup start at $22.

Did the campaign actually perform well commercially?

Yes, notably well. Several sizes and washes from the collection sold out within roughly 24 hours of the full campaign launching, an unusually fast turnaround for a mass retailer’s celebrity tie in. Industry observers have pointed to Cardi’s highly engaged, extremely online fan base as a major factor, since her promotion of a product tends to generate conversation well beyond Old Navy’s own marketing channels.

Has this shoplifting confession actually helped or hurt the campaign?

If anything, it’s amplified it. The admission has circulated widely alongside the campaign rollout, adding an unscripted, self aware moment to what could have otherwise read as a standard celebrity endorsement. Cardi has leaned into the contrast herself rather than downplaying it, treating the story as part of the same full circle narrative she’s used to describe the partnership overall.

What else has come out of Cardi’s press run for this deal?

A few other candid stories from her teenage years. She’s also said she used to stuff her jeans with extra layers of tights growing up, tied to insecurity about her body at the time, a detail that adds context to why a campaign built around comfortable, well fitting denim resonates with her personally now.