Hold onto your fashion hats, because Zendaya just dropped a bombshell that connects three iconic women across four decades! At the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards, the Euphoria star stunned in an off-the-shoulder white minidress with silver-and-gold hibiscus appliqués—but this isn't just any dress. It's a piece of fashion history that's been hiding in plain sight since 1987.
Designed by Eugene Stutzman (aka Eugene Alexander), this dress first made headlines when Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw wore it in the opening credits of Sex and the City: The Movie in 2008. But wait—there's more! Two decades earlier, Whitney Houston rocked the exact same dress for a 1987 album promo shoot, with the image later gracing the cover of LIFE magazine. Talk about a triple threat!
Zendaya in Los Angeles in March 2026. Monica Schipper/Getty
Stylist Law Roach couldn't contain his excitement, posting a video of Zendaya on the red carpet with the Sex and the City theme song and calling it "an ICONIC piece of fashion history." But here's the kicker: this fashion moment comes hot on the heels of Roach's bombshell claim that Zendaya has already married fiancé Tom Holland! At the 2026 Actors Awards, he declared, "The wedding has already happened. You missed it!" When pressed for details, he simply confirmed, "It's very true." Coincidence? We think not.
Whitney Houston in 1987. Dirck Halstead/Getty
From Whitney's 1987 glam to Carrie's 2008 strut and now Zendaya's 2026 red carpet moment, this dress has woven itself into pop culture like a secret thread. Is it a tribute, a trend, or something more? One thing's for sure: Zendaya just proved that fashion isn't just about looking good—it's about telling stories that span generations. And with wedding rumors swirling, this might be her most iconic look yet.
