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!
Rome, Italy — Custom Loewe
In the ‘Eternal City’ (as Rome is regarded), Zendaya showcased her perenially enviable style in another custom look from LOEWE. Zendaya’s mini-dress recontextualised the codes worn on the court with the drop-waist pleated tennis skirt and plunging V-neck bodice articulated in a dazzling diamante finish. The piece harked back to the 20s in the casual gamine fit but was given a flirty touch with a mid-thigh grazing hemline.
However, the look’s pièce de résistance came in the form of her custom Loewe tennis ball heels. Inspired by her preferred ‘So Kate’ style from Christian Louboutin, Anderson took cues from the Spanish luxuriate’s hallmark SS21 show (the first staged in-person following the COVID-19 pandemic) by giving the heels his signature surrealist touch. We have already seen everything from split eggs to bars of soap serve as a high heel, but for a movie centred around the sport, piercing a tennis ball with her razor-sharp stiletto feels like a pertinent nod to the events on-screen.
Rome, Italy — Custom Calvin Klein
For the film’s official premiere, Zendaya changed into a custom white set from Calvin Klein. Fitting with the rise of the ‘office siren’ aesthetic and prevalence of 90s minimalism, Zendaya stripped back the in-your-face theatrics for something more quietly statement-making, yet still true to her body-conscious silhouettes with the touch of skin. The set featured a white maxi skirt with her trademark thigh-high split and a white blazer that was left open to draw attention to her Bulgari Serpenti necklace.
London, England – Custom Thom Browne
In a coquettish hair bow and an exaggerated ponytail, Zendaya arrived at Leicester Square’s Odeon Theatre in London for another faithful fashion adaptation of Challengers’ tennis themes. Acing method dressing, Zendaya arrived in a custom Thom Browne dress made of a deconstructed polo bodice, and pleated mesh and sequin skirt adorned with tennis racket motifs and Browne’s signature tri-coloured stripe. This look was the perfect serve given Browne’s reputation as the patron saint of uniform dressing.
London, England – Vintage Vivienne Westwood
To cite Doja Cat to describe Zendaya’s vintage Vivienne Westwood look at the London photocall for Challengers, “If you could see it from the front, wait ’til you see it from the back.”
We’re, of course, referencing the feathered bustle attached to the nautical-coloured unbalanced striped mini skirt. The vintage set debuted in Westwood’s Spring 1994 collection titled Café Society, a title given to the intelligentsia and ‘Bright Young Things’ of high society who gathered in fashionable restaurants in New York and Paris in the 1920s.
As Roach pointed out, this look was inspired by the bustle skirt Carrie Bradshaw famously wore in season four of Sex And The City. Few style savants can compete with Bradshaw’s on-screen wardrobe, but Zendaya has certainly taken this grand slam.
Monte Carlo, Monaco – Brunello Cucinelli
When in Monaco, you do as the Monégasque do. Case in point: Attend a ‘Masters’ tournament overlooking the Côte d’Azur in head-to-toe ‘quiet luxury’. For the occasion, Zendaya emulated the ‘old money aesthetic’ of the region in a Brunello Cucinelli set from the label’s Fall/Winter 2024 runway.
Milan, Italy – Vintage Ralph Lauren
Continuing her cross-continental weekend of tennis whites, Zendaya arrived at Milan’s Piazza del Duomo in a vintage Ralph Lauren set from 1992. The halterneck mini dress was famously worn by supermodel Cindy Crawford on the original runway, proving once again that Zendaya might have missed her calling by going into acting rather than modelling.
Milan, Italy – 16Arlington
Zendaya selected a custom piece from London-based brand 16Arlington for her appearance on a Milanese television show. The square-neck bodice graduated into a ruched skirt that ties perfectly into the bubble skirt trend. If you couldn’t tell already, the dress is made entirely from terry cloth, grounding the piece in the tennis backdrop of the film.
Los Angeles, California – Custom Vera Wang
Debuting her most voluminous look yet, Zendaya arrived at the Los Angeles premiere of Challengers in custom Vera Wang. The dress, the first non-tennis-related press tour look, featured a lingerie-inspired lace bodice and trompe l’oeil suspenders layered over black tulle and layers of baby pink.
Los Angeles, California – Custom Celia Kritharioti Couture
Zendaya is game for anything, literally! The star arrived at the Los Angeles premiere afterparty at the Westwood Village Theater wearing a lime Celia Kritharioti Couture halterneck gown. The sultry, plunging gown gathered at her midriff with an actual tennis ball fixed to hold the material together. Game, set, and match!
Los Angeles, California – Custom Carolina Herrera
Zendaya and Roach may be in a league of their own, but they haven’t forgotten about the icons who came before them. As shared by Roach on Instagram, the actress’ latest look pays homage to a 1998 photoshoot of Venus and Serena Williams by Annie Leibovitz (see pictures here).
In a custom striped gown by Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera, Zendaya could be seen posing on a couch with a beaded wig by hair stylists Kim Kimble and Ursula Stephen, reminiscent of the Williams sisters’ iconic looks from the ’90s.
“An ode to the GREATS @venuswilliams @serenawilliams,” wrote Roach alongside the photos. “We thank you for all you have done!”
Venus swiftly responded to the throwback in the comments with, “Wow. No words! So much love for you.”
Los Angeles, California – Custom Jacquemus
The Los Angeles leg of the Challengers press tour has been the gift that keeps giving. At a photo call at Amazon MGM Studios, Zendaya once again served in a custom, bubblegum pink look by Jacquemus.
The set consisted of a fitted cropped polo shirt connected to a low-rise A-line skirt. With a tie and carabiner reminiscent of a tennis net’s ropes, the actress left her toned torso in full view.
She extended the retro-inspired feel to her glam with a voluminous blow-out that curled at the ends and a coordinating headband with a sweet bow on it to match her pointed slingback pumps.
New York, New York – Custom Erdem and vintage Mugler
We’ve come to the final set of the Challengers press tour—the match point, if you will. But just like Italian wunderkind Jannik Sinner came back to defeat Daniil Medvedev in the Men’s final of the Australian Open, Zendaya has proven there’s still energy in her yet. For her final volley, Zendaya donned two back-to-back tennis core looks for a slew of morning television appearances in New York.
The first interpretation was a sweet custom Erdem gown that riffed on the 1950s housewife aesthetic. The British designer took cues from the waist-cinching silhouette with a dainty bodice and tulle skirt adorned with an illustrated ornamental cabbage pattern. Her satin ‘So Kate’ Christian Louboutin heels completed the ‘ladies who luncheon’ ensemble. With this look, Zendaya could convince us to eat courtside at her local country club, anytime.
Hours later, Zendaya took style inspiration from a different decade in her vintage lime green Mugler suit.
Did someone order the businesswoman special? Because Zendaya is serving. The look featured a blazer cut on the bias and a crystal-encrusted arrow brooch that closed the jacket up.
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