Keke Palmer Borrows Raquel Welch’s 50-year-old Dress to Honor Bob Mackie

For American fashion’s biggest night, Keke Palmer honored a late American fashion legend. The actor, who served as the host of the 2026 CFDA Awards, arrived at the annual ceremony on Monday in a rare Bob Mackie gown from 1975.

To fashion fans, the ab-bearing gold dress is instantly recognizable as a piece of history. Complete with glittery straps and a front slit, it was originally worn by Raquel Welch to perform “I’m A Woman” alongside Cher on The Cher Show decades ago. The now-iconic performance opened with a behind-the-scenes bit, wherein the two women complained about not being stage-ready before emerging in slightly different versions of Mackie’s sexy, cut-out-filled dress. For last night’s rewear, Palmer’s stylist Molly Dickson sourced the garment from vintage boutique Timeless Vixen. Finishing the look with Old Hollywood waves and high-shine accessories, the actor repped Mackie’s “Sultan of Sequins” aesthetic with ease.

The California-born designer, who died at the age of 87 in September, spent his career dressing big personalities for the stage. As a longtime Cher collaborator, he created the majority of the glitzy, boundary-pushing outfits on The Cher Show. He, too, has been recognized by the CFDA Awards over the years, having received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 and the Exuberance Award in 2001. The latter, which was created just for him, most aptly sums up his beloved, larger-than-life presence. In the weeks since the designer’s passing, his rhinestone-embellished archive—which defined an era of glossy showmanship—has only grown to be more prized. What better place to honor it than at the Oscars of fashion?