A dress to remember! Kerry Washington paid homage to an icon at the 5th American Black Film Festival Honors on Sunday, March 5.
The Scandal alum, 46, attended the Los Angeles soirée in a vintage Marc Bouwer dress — the exact same look Whitney Houston famously wore during her performance at the BET Walk of Fame Awards Gala in 1996. Washington was a radiant sight in the halter design, which featured ruched fabric that hugged her curves.
The Save the Last Dance star paired the frock with coordinating crimson pumps and donned bold red nails. For glam, Washington rocked smoky eyes, rosy cheeks and a soft pink lip. She wore her hair in loose, voluminous curls and accessorized with diamond studs.
Washington gushed over her fashion statement via Instagram on Sunday, sharing a video of herself dancing around in the fiery garment. “What’s cooler than wearing Whitney Houston’s dress?” read text over the video as the New York native belted out “Nothing!” — a lyric from Houston’s hit “I Have Nothing.”
“No lies told,” Washington continued in the caption. “Whitney Houston’s ACTUAL @MarcBouwer dress she wore in 1996. Sooooooo incredibly special. #ABFFAwards here I come!”
Law Roach, who styled Washington, borrowed the ensemble from Bouwer’s archive. “And then THIS happened … Thank you @MarcBouwer for letting me go into your archives and borrow Whitney’s dress for @KerryWashington,” Roach captioned an Instagram post of Washington. The fashion designer praised the moment in the comments section, writing: “MAJOR. Thank you, Law!”
Washington isn’t the only celebrity to pay tribute to Houston in recent weeks.
Kevin Costner remembered his late The Bodyguard costar while honoring Clive Davis ahead of the 2023 Grammy Awards on February 4. The Yellowstone actor, 68, gave a heartfelt toast to the music exec, 90, during Davis’ annual Pre-Grammy Gala at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. At the end of his speech, Costner thanked Davis for being an influence in Houston’s life.
“I want to say something that I’ve never said to you before,” the Dances with Wolves actor said, per Variety. “Maybe this isn’t the room for it but I don’t want to miss the moment. And this is from the heart. Neither one of us in the end could protect your beloved Whitney, but your fingerprints on her life are clean, my friend.”
Costner added: “You were a miracle in her life. Thank you for being her bodyguard, Clive. And for every person in this room, you have stood behind and stood for. Everyone in this business has a mom, but not everyone gets a Clive. You need to come out here. This is your stage.”
Houston, a six-time Grammy winner, died at age 48 on February 11, 2012, after accidentally drowning in a bathtub. Heart disease and cocaine use were contributing factors.
