Be it a Fremen from an intergalactic planetary desert wasteland or a sardonic high schooler from New York entangled with your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, Zendaya’s press tour wardrobe shows no bounds. Irrespective of the character she’s embodying or the film she’s promoting, her inimitable ability to capture the essence of the creative project by sartorially referencing her role has catapulted her into a league of her own. With assistance and direction from her “image architect” Law Roach, Zendaya’s publicity wardrobe is the embodiment of the phrase: “often imitated, never duplicated”.
Fresh from peddling Dune: Part Two in Mugler’s rare “Gynoid” suit of armour and archival cybernetic sets from Givenchy by Alexander McQueen, Zendaya has pivoted her red carpet approach to an athleisure-adjacent style fitting for her latest film Challengers. In true method dressing mode, the 27-year-old has paid homage to her tennis wunderkind character ‘Tashi’ from Luca Guadagnino’s new steamy romantic drama by displaying every iteration of sportif silhouettes.
GRAZIA joined the cast of ‘Challengers’ at the film’s global premiere in Australia. Below, watch our dispatch from the red carpet and interview with the film’s stars, including Josh O’Connor.
Reviving the tenniscore aesthetic—with assistance from the Challengers costumes designed by Jonathan Anderson—Zendaya has rendered every element of the game at a couture level, whether it be embracing the lawn green shade du jour in vintage Louis Vuitton designed by Marc Jacobs, emulating courtside chic in slouchy boxer shorts or literally wearing a tennis court on her body in custom Loewe. A grand slam, indeed.
Zendaya has elevated the game with a hat-trick of red carpet looks that will undoubtedly ricochet into stands come the Wimbledon and US Open tournaments later this year. And with the press tour just underway, we’ve really only scratched the surface of what Zendaya and Roach have concocted for us. As the pair themselves say, they “never miss!” Acolytes were given a delicious exclusive look at upcoming looks in a video documenting Zendaya’s getting-ready process at the recent Sydney premiere of Challengers—the film’s global opening. But until the looks are fully realised on the red carpet with flawless hair and makeup, we’re reliving everything Zendaya’s adorned to get us into theatres to see the film (so far) below.
Every look Zendaya wore on The Challengers press tour
Sydney, Australia — Custom Loewe
“I don’t know where to start!” Zendaya remarked in her harbour-side hotel room hours before attending the global opening of Challengers in Sydney. As we know, the actress opted for a literal embodiment of the film’s themes in a custom Loewe halterneck gown that featured a still from the film depicted in a dazzling crystal arrangement. “It’s the Loewe, we start out by punching them in the face,” Roach explained in a behind-the-scenes video.
GRAZIA was present at Sydney’s State Theatre to watch the cast unveil the highly-anticipated production to the world. Here, we take you inside the exclusive premiere.
Sydney, Australia — Custom Lacoste
Also while in Sydney, Zendaya posed for a photocall on a mock grass tennis court in front of one of the city’s icons; the Sydney Opera House. Before changing into an olive neoprene long-sleeve dress from Italian brand K-Way for an intimate press conference, Zendaya displayed her best ‘tennis whites’ in a custom set from Lacoste. Fusing sports and style, the two-piece featured athletic staples like a crop top and briefs and a crystal-embellished mesh skirt.
Paris, France — Louis Vuitton, Spring/Summer 2013
As an ambassador for Louis Vuitton, it was only a matter of time before Zendaya gravitated toward the French luxuriate’s archives. Naturally, this moment took place in Paris, the home of the Maison, where she looked to a decade-old checkerboard silhouette designed by Marc Jacobs for one of his last ready-to-wear collections as creative director of the house. The swinging 60s-inspired modish button-up dress featured a mid-century rendering of Vuitton’s Damier check motif, with the enlarged tesselating squares reminiscent of the prep ensembles hailing from the bygone era.
Paris, France — Vintage Louis Vuitton, Spring/Summer 1999
Zendaya bridged modernity with late 90s minimalism in this sleek satin set, also by Louis Vuitton. Bookending the press tour with looks from Marc Jacobs’ tenure, Zendaya reached for a piece from one of the designer’s earliest ready-to-wear collections for the maison, toting a rare Spring Street top handle in mint monogram vernis leather. For the collection presentation in 1999, Jacobs styled the look with a Martian helmet, which Zendaya abstained from wearing at the photocall. (Presumably to show off her freshly dyed blonde bob). However, this ‘IYKY’ tidbit might be symbolic of Zendaya’s red carpet evolution as she leaves the interstellar galaxy of Dune behind and enters the sporty realm of Challengers. What better way to do so than in LV?
Paris, France — Custom Louis Vuitton
Concluding the fashion narrative Roach coined, ‘one girl, one city, one day, one brand, three looks’, Zendya wore a custom Louis Vuitton look inspired by the codes exhibited in the brand’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection. Designed by the current creative director Nicolas Ghesquière, the dress featured a white leather bustier gown with a multilayered mousseline skirt and matching white leather belt.
A viral video of Zendaya being handed an oversized croissant may have piqued netizen’s interest, but it was the Bulgari diamonds she’s worn throughout the entirety of the press tour that captured our editorial team’s fascination. Who needs a tennis bracelet, when you have High Jewellery pieces featuring 5-carat pear diamonds, 16 marquise diamonds (11,32 ct), 124 fancy shape diamonds (15,96 ct), 1 round brilliant-cut diamond and pavé-set diamonds!
