From Met Gala Couture to Cavalli Power Dressing: Inside Keke Palmer’s Boldest Style Moments

Keke Palmer’s style evolution mirrors her personal journey—from a child star known by her family nickname to a confident multi-hyphenate who commands every red carpet she steps on.

Whether honoring high-fashion craftsmanship at the Met Gala, celebrating her creative voice at the Big Boss screening, or embracing bold individuality in one of her earliest standout press-tour looks, Palmer consistently delivers fashion moments that fuse glamour, personality, and storytelling. Below, we break down three of her most memorable outfits.

Keke Palmer Stuns in Crystal-Embellished Sergio Hudson Couture at the 2023 Met Gala

Keke Palmer’s real name is Lauren Keyana Palmer, though she has gone by “Keke” since childhood—a nickname inspired by her older sister’s imaginary friend. Her early manager encouraged her to adopt it professionally, and while she’s embraced the moniker throughout her career, Palmer has said she’d still love to go by Lauren one day.

That blend of personal history and evolving public identity made her 2023 Met Gala appearance even more striking. Stepping onto the red carpet, Palmer delivered one of her most celebrated fashion moments to date—a breathtaking homage to the event’s theme, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.”

Her look centered around a custom Sergio Hudson strapless column gown crafted from pastel tweed and embellished with over 12,000 Swarovski crystals and pearls. Hudson drew inspiration from Lagerfeld’s eras at Patou and Balmain in the late 1950s, blending them with Chanel’s early 1990s aesthetic while envisioning Palmer as a modern embodiment of “Black Hollywood royalty.”

The ensemble was completed with a dramatic floor-length opera coat in silk faille and silk taffeta, custom Stuart Weitzman sandals, and sparkling Swarovski earrings paired with a Jacob & Co. ring, solidifying her status as one of the night’s standout fashion stars.

Keke Palmer radiates high-glamour in a strapless pastel tweed Sergio Hudson gown embellished with over 12,000 Swarovski crystals and pearls at the 2023 Met Gala celebrating Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty on May 1, 2023, in New York City (Credit: Jennifer Graylock / INSTARimages)

“Actually, Keke is my nickname,” Palmer once explained during a 2012 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

“When I was little, my sister had an imaginary friend named Keke, and she wanted that to be my name. My mom worried it might not sound professional when I grew up, so she named me Lauren Keyana Palmer instead—but everyone still ended up calling me Keke.”

That blend of family history and personal identity made her 2023 Big Boss screening appearance all the more powerful.

Keke Palmer Embraces Post-Pregnancy Power Dressing in a Bold Cheetah-Print Cavalli Jumpsuit

Just months after welcoming her son, Leodis, Palmer stepped onto the red carpet in a striking Roberto Cavalli look that instantly turned heads.

Keke Palmer turned heads in a curve-hugging, long-sleeved cheetah-print jumpsuit paired with crystal-embellished pumps at the Big Boss Closing Night Screening during the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival in Atlanta, Georgia (Credit: Larry Cooper / Shutterstock)

She wore a long-sleeved, high-neck, bodycon jumpsuit in a bold cheetah-print design—an eye-catching, curve-embracing statement that marked one of her first major public outings post-pregnancy. Joined by her son and then-partner, Darius Jackson, Palmer turned the event into a celebratory family moment while promoting the musical narrative film she both wrote and directed.

The night carried special significance as well: Palmer was honored with the Ossie Davis Award, recognizing her creative excellence and vibrant contributions to cinema.

Keke Palmer, whose real name is Lauren Keyana Palmer, says her older sister had an imaginary friend named Keke when they were younger, and she wanted Keke to be her name as well (Credit: Larry Cooper / Shutterstock)

In a 2022 interview with Glamour, Palmer reflected further on her name, explaining that “Keke” originally came from her family long before it became her public persona. “The only people that called me Keke were people in my family,” she said. “One day, my manager at the time heard my mom call me Keke because I wasn’t listening, and he said, ‘That should be your stage name.’ So it went from being something just my family called me to something the whole world called me.”

Despite embracing the nickname professionally, Palmer admitted she sometimes wishes she could return to her given name, Lauren—though she’s unsure if that shift is still possible. “I’m so known as Keke,” she shared. “I don’t know if I could ever change it.”

Keke Palmer Shows Early Red-Carpet Confidence in a Baja East Silk Pantsuit

Years before that conversation, Palmer was already establishing herself as a bold fashion presence. In August 2016, she stepped out at the FOX Summer TCA Press Tour at Soho House in West Hollywood, showcasing one of her most confident early red carpet looks.

Keke Palmer radiated joy as she graced the FOX Summer TCA Press Tour in an eclectic Baja East Fall 2016 silk-patterned pantsuit (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)

The then-22-year-old actress wore her signature tomboy-chic look, rocking an eclectic black pantsuit from Baja East’s Fall 2016 collection.

Keke Palmer’s impeccable style made her presence unforgettable on the FOX Summer TCA Press Tour at Soho House in Los Angeles, California, on August 8, 2016 (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)

The American actress donned a pair of high-waisted spotted trousers and a matching sheer blazer, left open to expose her stomach.

She wore a black bandeau underneath and teamed the all-black ensemble with quirky heels.

Keke Palmer has a small tattoo on her upper rib cage that says, “Don’t cast thy pearls before swine,” a reference to a Bible verse, Matthew 7:6, which reads, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces” (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)

Keke glammed up the pajama look with a selection of jewelry. She wore several statement rings, a Swarovski bracelet, and multi-strand choker necklaces.

Keke Palmer made a striking statement in her ensemble at the event, donning a Baja East sheer top paired with matching satin pants (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)

The “True Jackson, VP” star wore her long, dark tresses in tousled waves and sported effortless makeup, including pink matte lipstick.

Keke Palmer shows off her fresh pedicure in Chiara Ferragni’s playful “Amelia” sandals, complete with the brand’s signature monster-eye motif (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)

Keke topped off her look with Chiara Ferragni’s “Amelia” sandals. These whimsical sandals have open toes, adjustable slingback straps, and four-inch heels.

Keke Palmer opted for Chiara Ferragni velvet monster eye sandals, completing the look with a unique and playful twist (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)

Most notable were the monster eye embellishments on the toe straps.

Chiara Ferragni “Amelia” Velvet Monster Eyes Heels, $499

Keke Palmer’s Style Legacy: From Red Carpet Power to Playful Shoe Moments

Even across her most distinct fashion eras—from couture-level Met Gala glamour to bold post-pregnancy confidence and early-career eclecticism—Keke Palmer has remained a fearless dresser with a deep appreciation for statement footwear.

Her shoes often do more than complete a look; they reflect her personality, her creativity, and her evolution as an entertainer. To wrap up her style journey, here’s a curated roundup of her standout footwear and fashion highlights.