Zendaya channels Carrie Bradshaw in iconic white 3D floral dress from Sex and the City for Essence award show

Zendaya arrived at the 2026 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards making a fashion statement dipped in 00's nostalgia - in Carrie Bradshaw's iconic dress!

What if the iconic role of Carrie Bradshaw from 1998’s Sex and the City was played by Zendaya? Safe to say, fans don’t have to leave it up to imagination anymore because the actor has made it clear that she can channel the same bold, fashion-forward energy! Amid swirling rumours that longtime sweethearts Zendaya and Tom Holland may have secretly tied the knot, the Challengers actor made a striking appearance at the 2026 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards with a fashion moment that felt both nostalgic and statement-making.

Here's a breakdown of the look! (AP; Pinterest)

She arrived at the event wearing a white minidress adorned with a dramatic oversized 3D flower – the very same piece famously worn by Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City. The archival nod instantly turned heads, blending bridal elegance with pop-culture nostalgia.

Zendaya also appeared to be subtly flaunting a gold wedding band on her left ring finger. The sighting comes shortly after the actor attended the Louis Vuitton Fall 2026 show at Paris Fashion Week on March 10, where she stepped out in a crisp white ensemble cinched at the waist with a chunky black belt, again showing off the same gold band alongside her other jewellery.

Earlier, at the 2026 Actor Awards (formerly known as the SAG Awards) on March 1, Zendaya’s longtime stylist and image curator, Law Roach, seemed to slyly hint at the private wedding while speaking to a red-carpet reporter – fuelling speculation that the couple may have quietly tied the knot away from the spotlight.

Let’s take a closer look at Zendaya’s iconic style statement!

Zendaya channels Carrie Bradshaw

Zendaya’s dress at the 2026 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards was a striking study in sculptural minimalism with a dramatic floral centre-piece. Cut in a crisp ivory-white fabric, the strapless minidress hugged her body with softly ruched draping that contoured the torso and hips, creating a sleek, statuesque silhouette. The hemline sat high on her thigh and was finished with an asymmetric slit that added movement and a touch of sensuality to the otherwise structured look.

What truly defined the piece, however, was the attention-grabbing oversized three-dimensional flower blooming across the bodice. The sculpted petals – rendered in delicate white fabric – spread dramatically across the chest like a couture corsage, giving the dress its instantly recognisable statement. At the heart of the bloom sat a metallic gold centre and the same detailed accents were used to cascade downward into elongated, feather-like appliqué leaves. These gilded embellishments created a striking contrast against the clean white base.

Significance of the dress

According to Vogue, Zendaya’s archival retelling was an exact rendering of Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic dress from the opening sequence of Sex and the City. In the memorable scene, Carrie is seen strolling through the streets of Manhattan in the same statement piece, turning heads as women passing by stop to fawn over – her bold fashion moment.

The piece, originally costume-designed by Patricia Field for the film, was itself a shortened reinterpretation of a Eugene Alexander dress worn by Whitney Houston in the 1980s. Houston’s version featured a longer hemline and a more dramatic bodice adorned with two blossoms instead of the single oversized flower seen in the later design.

The combination of the ruched bodycon silhouette and the exaggerated floral motif gives the design a distinctive blend of romantic femininity and high-fashion theatricality – the kind of bold yet elegant statement piece that the fashion world revisits time and again for its enduring, iconic appeal.