Keke Palmer has officially entered her vintage vixen era—and we’re all the better for it.
Lighting up the 2025 BET Awards red carpet like a flashbulb in motion, the multi-hyphenate arrived in yet another show-stopping archival moment, this time stepping into the glossy glow of Chanel Haute Couture. Her look? A black-and-gold sequined minidress pulled from the French maison’s storied Fall/Winter 1993 collection—dripping in nostalgia and radiating power.
Far from your average LBD, the piece featured a sheer halter neckline dusted in muted gold sequins, a body-skimming silhouette with delicate ruching, and a glittering hem that twinkled with each step. But the pièce de résistance? A voluminous tulle bustle cascading down the back, like a dramatic whisper of Parisian couture trailing behind her. Scattered with the same gilded sequins as the bodice, it was both playful and theatrical—Palmer flipped it with joy on the carpet like a modern-day showgirl with a wink.
The Nope star styled the archival treasure with Femme LA’s Rum patent stilettos in inky black, forgoing the original lace-up boots worn on the runway. Her beauty look, meanwhile, offered a studied nod to ’90s glamour: a sleek bob in place of her signature red waves, and a softly lined nude lip dipped in cocoa hues. The overall effect? Think Naomi on the Chanel catwalk meets Tina Turner at the height of her fashion powers.
Palmer’s Chanel moment follows her glittering vintage streak. Earlier this year, she stunned at the SAG Awards in another rare find: a black-and-gold Art Deco Chanel gown from Fall/Winter 1987. Her red carpet revival tour proves one thing definitively—no one is breathing new life into the archives quite like Keke.
Inside the show, the Hustlers actor kept the energy high, snapping selfies and cheering from the audience as the ceremony unfolded. She posed with fellow stars, including the evening’s breakout Docheii, who took home Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and used her moment in the spotlight to deliver a fiery message to President Trump regarding the escalating immigration protests in Los Angeles.
If Palmer’s fashion game is any indication, this is an era of reclamation: of bold silhouettes, unapologetic legacy, and style that speaks volumes. Archival, but never outdated.
