That’s not to say that Zendaya doesn’t have a soft side or that she has no warmth – of course she does. She can be vulnerable and raw, she can drop her defences. But also, at the same time, when she wants to, when the mood suits, she’ll put on the armour and go to battle. And when that happens, she is unconquerable, impenetrable, especially on a red carpet.
Here she is last night at the Women in Film event wearing a breast plate over a grey form-fitting dress, fresh from the Loewe Paris Fashion Week presentation. Here’s how it looked on the runway:
Well of course. When Law Roach calls and says this is what I want to put on Zendaya, who would actually say no? There’s runway and then there’s Zendaya.
Which is why, again, we’ve removed her from consideration for best look at any award show and also the Outfit of the Week. Because, really, it’s unfair to everyone else.
This is what sets Zendaya and Law apart from the lowly, like me. Because the way I operate, if there’s a piece that’s really special, I’d want to save it. I’d look at the calendar and say… ok, I don’t want to blow my load too early, let’s set this aside until the big moment. Z’s upcoming calendar is full of big moments though. Here’s what’s coming up just off the top of my head in the next couple of months: Dune opens on October 22 and while there have been premieres in Europe, there has yet to be a premiere in North America. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t have an event, or several, in the days to come. After that, of course, it’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, opening in December. That promotional tour is going to be huge. And then award season.
Zendaya and Law are likely already thinking about, or have confirmed, pieces for several of those occasions. And what gets me is the optimism and confidence in the fashion. Like, Zendaya has already, just this year alone (!) served multiple all-time looks, on top of what she’s been serving us over the last few years. Somehow she and Law keeping topping themselves. There’s never any doubt that last time was the best time. That this is a fit you must save because there might not be a better one – there is always a better one!
I just don’t have that, like, worldview in life or style. But this is the worldview that makes a fashion conqueror.
