Zendaya is the queen of the red carpet—that is an uncontested fact. Whether she’s out promoting a movie like Dune or Challengers and is method-dressing to tease the film, or gracing the prestigious Golden Globes and Oscars red carpets, Z doesn’t miss.
With the help of her longtime stylist and “image maker” Law Roach, the two have created iconic looks that have made the red carpet almost as exciting as the events themselves. Who could forget Zendaya’s custom tennis ball shoes by Loewe that had everyone buzzing for days? The duo has also been known to plunge designer archives for standout pieces that add depth to their sartorial storytelling. The 1995 couture Mugler robot suit that the Euphoria actor wore to the world premiere of Dune: Part Two will forever live on as one of the most iconic fashion moments in history.
It may seem inconceivable now, but there was a time when designer houses from Chanel to Valentino once refused to dress Zendaya when she was a budding actress. To turn the spotlight on her, Law revealed on the podcast The Cutting Room Floor that he would put Z in the same outfit as another celebrity so that she would appear on “Who Wore It Best” polls—and win.
The bet clearly paid off, because fast forward just few years later, Zendaya became the most sought-after talent on the carpet. Soon, every designer house from Valentino to Louis Vuitton began courting her as their ambassador, with the latter tapping Zendaya as the face of their reedition collection with artist Takashi Murakami this year.
And while Law and Z are not afraid to tackle a big dress (the princess Vera Wang gown for the Los Angeles premiere of Challengers might come to mind) often it’s the subtly unexpected looks that set her apart, like a Tom Ford Barbie pink breastplate she wore to the 25th Critics’ Choice Awards.
Topping best-dressed lists and turning heads at every event, Z is still the most highly anticipated star on any red carpet. And while we know this is just the beginning of a lot more looks to come, we can’t help but take a moment to look back on Zendaya’s most iconic outfits so far.