Dannielynn Birkhead Honors Anna Nicole Smith in Iconic Dress at 2025 Derby

Dannielynn Birkhead Honors Anna Nicole Smith In Iconic Dress At 2025 Derby

Well, folks, the Kentucky Derby just got even more emotional this year. 18-year-old Dannielynn Birkhead paid a heartfelt tribute to her late mom, Anna Nicole Smith, at the Barnstable Brown Gala—an event she’s been attending since she was just three years old. And get this—she did it in the SAME backless gown her mom rocked at the event 21 years ago. Talk about a full-circle moment.

The dress, complete with crystal-embellished straps and a daring low back, was iconic in every sense of the word. But for Dannielynn, it was more than just a stylish fashion choice. “It’s the closest to a hug I can get from her,” she shared, emotionally reflecting on wearing the dress that helped solidify Anna Nicole’s legacy. For those who didn’t know, Anna passed away in 2007, just months after Dannielynn was born.

And her dad, Larry Birkhead? He couldn’t hold back the tears as he shared the moment on Instagram. He noted how his daughter could wear a different outfit from Anna’s closet every day without ever repeating a look. Now that’s what we call a fashionable connection!

 

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A post shared by Larry Birkhead (@larryanddannielynn)

Dannielynn Birkhead wore the same backless black gown her late mother, Anna Nicole Smith, wore to the Barnstable Brown Gala in 2004.

The 18-year-old attended the 2025 gala with her father, Larry Birkhead, continuing a Derby weekend tradition they’ve followed for years.