How Taraji P. Henson Spotlighted Black Designers at the BET Awards
Last night, actor Taraji P. Henson hosted the BET Awards—an annual celebration of Black culture and artistic accomplishments—for the third time. “I always have the best time hosting the BET Awards,” Henson tells Vogue of the honor. “It’s culture’s biggest night, and the energy from the audience and being surrounded by my fellow peers is always such a thrill.”
For Henson, being a part of such a star-studded event is about far more than mixing-and-mingling, however. “The opportunity to celebrate and uplift Black excellence in entertainment is truly an honor,” she says of the ceremony, which honors talent across music, film, sports, and beyond. “It s a chance to showcase our community s incredible talent and achievements on a global stage.”
Given it wasn’t Henson’s first time leading the night, you could say she’s a pro at nailing her hosting duties—and a veteran at pulling off the evening’s many necessary outfit changes, too. As always, Henson took an intentional approach with her BET Awards wardrobe, working alongside her stylists Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald to spotlight on Black designers. “Representation and recognition is vital,” says Henson. “The BET Awards is our night, and talented Black designers deserve the opportunity to have visibility and the platform they deserve. It’s all about celebrating our heritage, our creativity, and our unique perspectives through the art of fashion.”
Together, Henson and Wayman + Micah landed on 13 different looks that were created by Black designers. (Hair stylist Tym Wallace, makeup artist Saisha Beecham, and nail artist Temeka Jackson also helped bring the looks to life). The evening’s stylish ensembles included designs from LaQuan Smith, Sergio Hudson, Off-White, Balmain, Theophilio, and Bishme Cromartie—to name a few. “[Taraji] always has a confidence and playful energy to her that allows us to think outside the box, and explore in terms of texture and silhouettes,” says McDonald. “She also really pays attention to detail, so each accessory really feels meaningful.”
On the red carpet, Henson kicked off the evening in a gold chainlink gown by Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing. “The column gown just felt so sexy and chic,” says McDonald. “We paired it with Tiffany Titan by Pharrell Williams [jewelry,] who is a pioneer for Black culture.” Other highlights included a custom Bishme Cromartie denim suit, complete with a fringed denim opera coat. “The inspiration came from ’90s female hip hop icons like Lil Kim and Foxy Brown,” says McDonald.
The star also wore a metallic LaQuan Smith mini dress, and a snakeskin-style dress from Theophilio. Bannerman adds, “We wanted her to feel sexy and spirited, so we loved choosing looks that show skin and explored with colors and texture.”
For Henson, however, the highlight of her evening was not playing dress-up (though, she did look impeccably cool and chic). Rather, it was “the entertainment, hands down,” she says. “The BET Awards always puts on such a fun and electrifying show—and there is never a dull moment.”
Below, see all of Henson’s looks at the 2024 BET Awards.
Photo: Dalvin Adams1/9Wearing Theophilio
Photo: Dalvin Adams2/9Wearing LaQuan Smith
