Gabrielle Union’s ‘Showstopper’ Monique Lhuillier Dress Has Beads, Sheer Panels, Cutouts and NYC Inspiration at NAACP Image Awards 2025

Gabrielle Union nodded to the New York City skyline while attending the 2025 NAACP Image Awards on Saturday in Los Angeles. The actress wore a Monique Lhuillier dress inspired by the linear arches of the Chrysler and Empire State buildings, according to the brand.

Union’s dress featured more than 1,000 bugle bead embellishments in a geometric crisscross pattern, built with daring cutouts on top of a sheer panel.

The frock was part of Lhuillier’s fall 2025 ready-to-wear collection and described as “one of the season’s showstoppers.” The collection was inspired by the glamour and grand architecture of New York City, WWD previously reported.

“Returning to New York City for this collection felt like a full-circle moment, taking me back to where I first began showcasing my designs,” Lhuillier told WWD.

At the 2025 NAACP Image Awards, Union joined the star-studded lineup of presenters. She has become a fixture of the award ceremony. In 2023, Union and her husband, Dwyane Wade, received the President’s Awards, given to individuals with distinguished public service. She wore a dress from Atelier Versace’s fall 1989 collection. In 2024, she attended the ceremony in a black halter gown from Burberry, styled by Thomas Christos Kikis.

The 2025 NAACP Image Awards, held on Saturday at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and hosted by Dean Cole, honor the entertainers who left an indelible impact on arts and entertainment culture in 2024. The Wayans family will be inducted into the NAACP Hall of Fame and former Vice President Kamala Harris will receive the Chairman’s Award.