Stylist Law Roach dug into the archives of fashion designer Marc Bouwer to find the look for his client Kerry Washington for Sunday night’s Afro Honors ceremony. There’s a story behind the red pleated halterneck gown he ultimately chose for the actor: It was originally worn by Whitney Houston, who wore it at 1996.
Kerry Washington in the late Whitney Houston Houston’s striking red dress.
Michael Tulberg
Before walking the red carpet, Washington paid tribute to the late singer on Instagram, posting a video of her lip-synching and dancing to Houston’s legendary song “I Have Nothing,” and pointing it out “Very Special” is wearing her dress. Roach, meanwhile, took to Instagram to thank Bouwer for allowing him to borrow pieces of fashion history that, as the designer put it in a comment, amounted to nothing less than “important” in Washington’s eyes.
This is the latest in a string of archive looks Roach has curated in recent weeks. He put Zendaya’s long-awaited comeback into the spotlight last month with a spring Versace couture dress and a spring-inspired custom Prada piece Focus collection, which she wore to the NAACP Image Awards. A few days later, he revisited the Prada archives and found a spring 1996 dress that inspired a custom look for another client, Hunter Schafer, who wore it to the Costume Designers Guild Awards Ceremony. Keep going!
