How Zendaya Conquered the Red Carpet Without Major Luxury Brands
Zendaya has been dominating the red carpet this year, from the Met Gala to her press junkets for Dune: Part Two and Challengers. However, there are a few designers she hasn’t sported during her appearances—and that’s for a reason.
Law Roach, the acclaimed stylist behind Zendaya’s stunning looks, recently revealed that a quintet of luxury brands wouldn’t dress the star early in her career, as reported by Hypebeast on Monday. Due to this, Roach and Zendaya turned to other labels for her show-stopping appearances. “I would write to the big five. I would write to Saint Laurent, Chanel, Gucci, Valentino, Dior, and they would all say, ‘No, try again next year. She’s too green. She’s not on our calendar,’” Roach shared on the podcast The Cutting Room Floor. “I still have all the receipts. I still have everything. By the time she got to American Vogue, she still hadn’t worn any of those designers. She still hasn’t.” (Roach and Zendaya have collaborated since she was 14, and she first appeared on the cover of Vogue in 2017 at age 20.) Roach clarified that while Zendaya has worn some of these brands during photo shoots and editorial opportunities, she has otherwise avoided them on the red carpet. The exception is Valentino; she signed a contract with the fashion house in 2020, obligating her to wear its clothes during some appearances.
With over a decade of working together, Roach and Zendaya share a strong bond and remember the brands that supported them from the beginning of her career.
“When I said, ‘If you say no, it’ll be a no forever,’ that rang true for a long, long time,” Roach noted on the podcast. As a result, Zendaya has never appeared on the red carpet in a Gucci, Chanel, or Dior look. (It seems she has worn Saint Laurent in recent years, though.)
Given Zendaya’s ability to turn heads without relying on the big five throughout her career, it’s clear that she and Roach are thriving without them.