Zendaya Never Flops on the Red Carpet; These Are Her 20 Most Iconic Looks Yet
Zendaya Never Flops on the Red Carpet; These Are Her 20 Most Iconic Looks Yet
Shelby Comroe, Jennifer Hussein, Shelby ComroeSat, July 25, 2026 at 2:20 PM UTC
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Zendaya’s red carpet archive spans everything from archival couture and futuristic fashion to Old Hollywood glamour, cementing her status as one of the defining style icons of her generation.
The actress is a master of method dressing, consistently tying her press tour looks to her film roles through thoughtful custom designs and vintage fashion references.
From Mugler’s iconic robot suit to Valentino gowns and Bob Mackie archives, Zendaya’s most memorable looks prove her versatility and fearless approach to formalwear.
Well-dressed A-listers are aplenty, but there are few modern celebrities who have been deemed modern fashion icons that’ll go down in history as style-forming legends. Zendaya is undeniably in the latter camp—just like her acting abilities, the star’s wardrobe has immaculate depth that other starlets just don’t. Sure, a lot of her stunning looks can be credited to her longtime stylist Law Roach, but Zendaya’s influx of headline-making looks paired with her striking poise makes her a sartorial force to be reckoned with, no matter who’s on her styling team.
From her press circuit for films like The Odyssey, Challengers, and Spider-Man, it’s clear to see that method dressing has become one of Zendaya’s sharpest tools in her fashion arsenal. But, rather than lean kitschy or too on-the-nose, she’s known to breathe new life into the age-old promo trick by pulling brilliant, stylized looks (which are usually custom, by the way) from the world’s most treasured couture houses like Louis Vuitton and Valentino. Archival looks are also a favorite of hers, as she constantly wears looks pulled from past collections of Versace and Bob Mackie. That being said, she’s not afraid to experiment with styles of the future, either—who could ever forget her cyborg chic look from Mugler that she wore to the premiere of Dune?
TL;DR: in terms of style, the limit of Zendaya’s range simply does not exist. The actress’s long list of looks could fill an entire novel, but there are a handful of her looks that are guaranteed to go down in fashion history—keep reading to take a deeper dive into them.
01 of 20
Caught in Her Web
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Zendaya is truly the master of method dressing. For the Mexico City premiere of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Zendaya donneda hauntingly gothic-inspired couture look by Ashi Studio. Her black dress featured a swath of web-like embroidery that spread from her bodice to one sleeve, and, to double down on the Spider-Man reference, it had long beaded fringe tassels at the sleeves—a clever callback to the superhero’s ability to shoot webs from his hands.
02 of 20
Scultped to Perfection
For her Odyssey press tour, Zendaya called upon Schiaparelli couture to channel the archetypes of Greek mythology at the London premiere of the show. Fresh off the Paris Couture Week runway, the gown featured a sculpted silicon white breastplate that resembled a chiseled marble statue, flowing into an ombré beaded skirt reminisent of the Aphrodite.
03 of 20
All Aboard the Drama Train
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For the Paris premiere of her hit film The Drama, Zendaya donned a white dress fitting for a marital affair, but with a twist: a large black bow with a flowing sheer train. The dress, created by French-Belgian fashion designer Nicolas Ghesquière and Louis Vuitton, was custom-made for Zendaya to hug her silhouette perfectly, and was paired with a layered necklace and three diamond rings—including her stunning engagement ring from Tom Holland.
04 of 20
Bronzed Beauty
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Zendaya diving into old Hollywood glamour is nothing new, but this 2025 Golden Globes moment is pivotal in her red carpet timeline for one major reason: it’s the debut moment of her engagement ring from Holland. The ring, featuring a massive east-west diamond, was paired with a custom burnt orange satin dress from Louis Vuitton with matching pumps and a sparkling Bulgari necklace.
05 of 20
Sharp Suited
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Even when she keeps it simple, Zendaya always knows how to stun on the red carpet. Take the crisp white Louis Vuitton suit she wore to co-chair 2025’s Met Gala “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”. The look was perfectly tailored to her figure and cleverly referenced Bianca Jagger’s famous bridal look.
06 of 20
Blooming Beauty
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Fresh off her insanely on-theme Challengers fashion run, Zendaya stayed winning at the 2024 Met Gala in a stunning Maison Margiela Couture gown that was, quite literally, in full bloom. The moody romanticism of the look was the perfect way to balance the night’s theme.
07 of 20
Cher Coded
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One of the most iconic moments in Zendaya’s rotation of red carpet appearances is this homage to Cher during the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, where she took to the stage to induct the pop legend. In true Cher fashion, Zendaya wore a sheer, hand-beaded Bob Mackie dress from the famed designer’s fall 2001 couture collection and paired it with sky-high metallic stilettos from her signature shoe designer of choice, Christian Louboutin.
08 of 20
Couture Robot
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With the help of Law Roach and the Mugler Couture archives, Zendaya transformed into a vintage robot for Dune: Part Two’s premiere in London. The silver bodysuit, which first made its debut back in 1995, covered the actress in head-to-toe chrome and plastic.
09 of 20
Pretty in Pink
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The actress hit the red carpet at the 2023 SAG Awards in a bespoke pink gown designed by Valentino’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. The dress featured a sculpted bodice and a skirt adorned with 190 meticulously hand-stitched rosettes. Of course, glittering Bulgari jewels finished off this look.
10 of 20
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Vintage Versace
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At the 2023 NAACP Image Awards, Zendaya showcased two distinct vintage looks. The first? A black and green strapless Atelier Versace gown from the Spring/Summer 2002 collection.
11 of 20
Old Hollywood
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At just 26, Zendaya is the youngest two-time winner for acting in Emmys history. The Euphoria star channeled Old Hollywood glamour in a custom black Valentino gown accentuated by a Bulgari choker, studs, and rings. Her hair, elegantly styled into a classic updo and adorned with a black ribbon, perfectly completed the look.
12 of 20
Tailored Menswear
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At an HBO Max event in 2022, Zendaya turned heads in a striking monochromatic gray ensemble by Fear of God, originally shown during the men’s runway show. Cleverly tailoring it to her style, the pantsuit was transformed with a tucked-in top and high-waisted trousers while retaining the menswear vibe thanks to the oversized blazer. This androgynous look was paired with Louboutin pumps and glittering Bulgari jewels.
13 of 20
Pop of Pink
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In March 2022, Zendaya attended Valentino’s Pink PP Collection in the color of the moment. Valentino Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli worked alongside the Pantone Color Institute to develop the shockingly bright color that would later become synonymous with Barbiecore.
14 of 20
Borrowed Black and White
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Just before turning heads in Valentino’s current signature electric hot pink, Zendaya opted for a more muted palette at the Euphoria season premiere. Channeling classic ‘90s supermodel vibes, she donned a vintage Valentino black and white striped gown, famously worn by supermodel Linda Evangelista in 1992.
15 of 20
Dr. Octopus Homage
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In a subtle nod to the Spider-Man universe, Zendaya donned a Roberto Cavalli look in Paris, France. The dress’s standout feature? A gold metal spine adorning the back. Fans speculated that it might be a clever homage to Spider-verse villain Dr. Octopus.
16 of 20
Abs-Baring Bandeau
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In 2021, Zendaya became the youngest recipient of the CFDA’s Fashion Icon Award, joining esteemed past winners like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Naomi Campbell. True to her title, she radiated fashion icon status at the CFDA awards, dressed in a custom two-piece red ensemble by Vera Wang. The outfit, consisting of an abs-baring bandeau and a coordinating peplum skirt, was elegantly accessorized with statement Bulgari jewels.
17 of 20
Hollywood Royalty
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Behold the reigning king and queen of Hollywood. And boy, did they live up to their titles. Standing beside her Dune co-star Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya looked out-of-this-world in a futuristic Rick Owens gown for the screening of the sci-fi epic.
18 of 20
Hand-Sculpted
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Zendaya was the undeniable highlight of the 2021 Venice Film Festival. She looked breathtaking in a bespoke Balmain leather gown, meticulously sculpted to her body, giving an illusion that the dress was wet and adhering to her skin. Balmain detailed the dress’s creation on Instagram, revealing that the custom leather piece was crafted using an exact mold of Zendaya’s bust.
19 of 20
Bright Yellow
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At the 93rd Academy Awards, Zendaya hit the red carpet in a radiant, sunshine-yellow custom Valentino gown. The vibrant dress showcased a sexy cut-out, perfectly accentuating her standout Bulgari necklace, which boasted two diamond collars and a central yellow cushion cut diamond. As if that wasn’t enough, she also sported a 30-carat diamond ring and yellow diamond drop earrings.
20 of 20
Modern-Day Mermaid
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For the 2019 Emmys, Roach collaborated with Vera Wang to create a bespoke emerald green gown featuring a sheer bustier and daring thigh-high slit. Paired with her fiery red hair, Zendaya looked like a modern-day Poison Ivy.
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