Kerry Washington In Whitney Houston’s Dress Is Archival Fashion At Its Finest

When Law Roach dresses a celebrity for the red carpet, it’s all but guaranteed that their outfit will make headlines the next day. The stylist and self-titled Image Architect, who works with the likes of Zendaya, Celine Dion, Issa Rae, and Kerry Washington (what a list!), always seems to have that magic touch — especially when he dresses his clients in archival pieces. Case in point: On March 5, he flawlessly pulled the move off again by putting Washington in Whitney Houston’s red dress from 1996 for the 5th American Black Film Festival Honors: A Celebration Of Excellence In Hollywood.

As Washington made her way down the red carpet at the 1 Hotel West Hollywood, fans got to see the actor in the velvet Marc Bouwer piece. The halter-neck dress had a ruched design and hugged her silhouette like it was custom made for her. Prior to Washington, Houston wore this exact number to the BET Walk of Fame Awards Gala in 1996. Roach even included a photo of the singer in this look in his Instagram photo carousel — just in case you can’t recall the fashion moment.

Washington was undoubtedly excited to wear Houston’s dress — and who wouldn’t be? — as she posted a funny video on her social media account that night. In the video, she wrote out “What’s cooler than wearing Whitney Houston’s dress” coupled with lyrics from Houston’s iconic song “I Have Nothing.”

The actor’s latest look only further proved Roach’s dedication to pulling vintage pieces for his clients. Just last week, he put Hunter Schaefer in a 1997 Prada look and Zendaya, too, has worn a handful of archival pieces over the years. Back in June 2022, she wore a ‘90s Bob Mackie gown to the 2022 TIME100 Gala and shortly after, Roach wrote on Instagram: “ ... Vintage and Archival dressing isn’t a trend for me it’s what lead me to this career and will always be my first choice when possible. I’m so grateful that I have been granted rare access to some of the most amazing archives. This @bobmackie is one of the most special...”

Unless you have Roach on speed dial, you’ll find it difficult to procure any of his clients’ one-of-a-kind outfits, including Washington’s red dress. But before you lose all hope, TZR found nearly identical pieces to shop below. Add your pick into your virtual checkout cart, then once the dress arrives, slip it on while belting out your favorite Whitney Houston song in front of the mirror.