Kerry Washington revisited fashion history as she arrived at the “American Black Film Festival Honors: A Celebration of Excellence in Hollywood” red carpet celebrated at 1 Hotel West Hollywood on March 5, in Los Angeles. The “Scandal” star was honored with an “Excellence in the Arts” award and joined by a roster of honorees and guests like Janelle Monae, Courtney B. Vance, Nicole Friday and more.
For the event, Washington picked a red velvet ruched ankle-long dress designed by Marc Bouwer who originally created the ensemble for Whitney Houston in 1996. The South African-born designer worked with the singer for many years and even created her wedding gown.
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In 1996, Houston wore the red dress for a very special performance at the BET Walk of Fame Awards where she sang her inescapable hits like “I Will Always Love You” and “I’m Every Woman,” and sang happy birthday to her father.
For the ABFF Awards, Washington paired the dress with pointed-toe pumps in the same shade of red. The style featured a stiletto heel elevating her outfit by at least 3 inches.
The actress kept accessories to a minimum with just a pair of silver earrings and two statement rings.
When it came to beauty, she mimicked her idol styling her hair in a similar long bob as Houston wore in the 90s. She kept the makeup on the natural side, with a touch of nude lipstick, highlighter and mascara, donning all the attention to the iconic dress.
Washington captured the moment on Instagram while getting ready for the event. “No lies told. Whitney Houston’s ACTUAL @marcbouwer dress she wore in 1996. Sooooooo incredibly special. #ABFFAwards here I come,” she captioned the video.
The American Black Film Festival’s annual awards season gala recognizes excellence in the motion picture and television industries. Founded in 2016, the ceremony honors Black artists who have made significant contributions to American entertainment through their work and those who champion diversity and inclusion in Hollywood.
