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From Disney darling to mononymous Hollywood A-lister, Zendaya’s journey to certified fashion icon is easily tracked on a red carpet timeline. The 25-year-old Emmy Awardwinning multihyphenate has cemented her status as a Met Gala main character and is the face of Lancôme, Bulgari, and Valentino. The teenager who once posted oversaturated “OOTD” pictures on Instagram in high-tops and patterned pants is all grown up. Today, she exhibits an amalgamation of elegance and artistic flair in all that she does — and wears. Zendaya met stylist and image architect Law Roach when she was 14 years old. She became his first major client, according to The Business of Fashion, and a legendary duo was born. Roach, in conversation with WWD , said they built their careers using emerging, independent designers, and that direction still stands. He also explained to People that Zendaya not having “a ‘look’” was something he wanted to make sure of early on. “When it comes to fashion … there’s nothing [Zendaya] won’t try,” Roach told People Magazine in 2021. “She’s fearless.” And fearless she is, known for surprising audiences with her unique style choices, including wearing a mullet to the 2016 Grammy Awards. She faced condemnation for the hairstyle, but time revealed she simply predicted the return of “business in the front, party in the back.” A genuine fashion aficionado, Zendaya has experience in the design department as well. In 2017, she launched the nowdefunct gender-neutral clothing and shoe line Daya by Zendaya,
a creative collaboration between her and Roach. In 2018, the two began a two-collection collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger, titled Tommy x Zendaya. From Rocky Blue on Shake It Up! to Rue Bennett on Euphoria, the styles of the T.V. characters Zendaya has played have matured alongside her. While Rocky was a fan of bold layering and pattern-mixing, Rue slipped vintage designer pieces into her laid-back wardrobe in season two. Off duty, Zendaya is often seen combining cute with comfort. Paparazzi capture her wearing her natural curly hair and glasses while on the go. Her signature outfit elements include baby tees, blazers, and oversized pullovers. The 2021 Dune press tour was essentially Zendaya’s personal runway show. Fans gasped for breath as they frantically posted reactions to her back-to-back Roach-styled serves on social media. At the 78th Annual Venice International Film Festival, she donned a nude, custom leather Balmain gown that both molded to and draped across her figure. With a hip-high leg slit, slicked wet-look hair, and emerald Bulgari High Jewelry, she was the moment. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awarded Zendaya the Fashion Icon Award in 2021, an honor whose past recipients include Beyoncé, Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, Lady Gaga, and more. On its website, the CFDA defined a Fashion Icon Award winner as “an individual whose style has made a significant impact on popular culture on an international stage.” Zendaya is the youngest to ever have the
title. Supermodel Iman, who received the award in 2010, introduced Zendaya at the 2021 CFDA Fashion Awards. “Zendaya is one of the youngest icons to inspire and excite the world with her great sense of style. And, she’s certainly one of the most fearless,” Iman said. “She transcends any known definition of ‘celebrity style’ we’ve become accustomed to.” Many memorable fashion moments come to mind when reflecting on Zendaya’s style evolution: the ivory Vivienne Westwood gown and waistlength locs she wore to the 2015 Oscars, the custom Tom Ford hot pink breastplate of the 2020 Critics’ Choice Awards, and Euphoria season two premiere’s black and white striped 1992 Valentino Archive dress are just a few. “Fashion … [has] been a creative outlet, and kind of an extension of all the reasons why I love acting,” Zendaya said while accepting her Fashion Icon Award in custom Vera Wang. “[Fashion] gave me the extraordinary gift of transformation.”
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