Zendaya's Most Daring Outfits

There is more to fashion that just cleaning up well, throwing on an expensive designer suit, and posing for the shutterbugs. Much like acting, it's an art form with meaning, as Zendaya proves with every showbiz appearance she makes. For the last many years, the Emmy-winning star has been stirring things up in the fashion department just as brilliantly as she has in the cinema side of things. Her newfound status as a style revolutionary is not unfounded — authenticated by her historic win as the CFDA's youngest Fashion Icon ever, but also by her steady commitment to her role as a vessel of bold fashion expression. 

"There's nothing she won't try. She's fearless," stylist and image architect Law Roach told People. "Zendaya's always been my partner in going out to the event and telling a story without even opening her mouth." Sure enough, Zendaya and Roach's reputation as a formidable team on the red carpet is only gaining steam with each passing event. They have chucked fashion's foolproof rules of playing it safe out the window, instead pushing the limit of convention with exhibitions that are dramatic, brave, and even sensational. Here's a roundup of Zendaya's most daring outfits. 

Zendaya takes fashion seriously. Her reputation precedes her, especially at premieres where the superstar does her due diligence to find the most creative ways to personify the film's essence through her outfits. For "Dune: Part Two," one of her biggest projects yet, she upped the ante like never before. Zendaya walked the red carpet for the film's London premiere in 2024 in a futuristic half-metallic, half-transparent bodysuit that rendered her the appearance of a cyborg. It was an extraordinary fashion choice that was more than appropriate, given the sci-fi foundations of Denis Villeneuve's two-part adaptation of the classic 1965 novel. 

Though the sequel's other cast members — including new "Dune" additions Florence Pugh and Anya Taylor-Joy — also followed a theme for their premiere showcase, it was clear that Zendaya was the showstopper of the evening, not least because she was the last out of the star ensemble to make an entry, as the BBC reported. In keeping with her tradition of reviving vintage pieces at high-profile events, Zendaya's metallic armor came from a 1995 couture collection by Thierry Mugler. Social media was all over this premiere look, with one viral X post in particular setting off a needless but intriguing discussion about what would happen if Zendaya were to let one rip in her tightly-fitted bodysuit. Not sure we want to find out. 

Zippers on a gown? Sounds dubious. But hey, if Zendaya says it works, it works. The trendsetter was a heavenly vision in white at Paris Fashion Week 2023, arriving for a Louis Vuitton runway show in an exciting outfit that became the talk of the season. It was a longline gown accented with gold chain and buckle detailing that added character to an otherwise monochromatic color theme. The double zipper down the front, however, was easily the dress' boldest element — and Zendaya made judicious use of it by leaving only a fraction of it zipped up near the torso to hold everything together. 

The glaring low-cut neckline and high-cut thigh slit would have anyway left little attention to be spared for Zendaya's hair, makeup, and jewelry, which the star kept simple. It was a good serve from Zendaya. So good, in fact, that it led British Vogue to reward it with the title of "The 2023 Equivalent Of Liz Hurley's Safety-Pin Dress." For the uninitiated, the reference is to the legendary black Versace dress that actor Elizabeth Hurley wore back in 1994. With big bold safety pins holding it together — much like Zendaya's zippers — it assumed a status as the mother of all sexy dresses. So a comparison to it is basically the highest stamp of approval Zendaya's white dress could get. 

In 2021, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) honored Zendaya with the coveted Fashion Icon Award. To understand why the "Dune" star won the top title, one need only have taken stock of her outfit for the night. Zendaya showed up to the awards looking as resplendent as ever in a fiery co-ordinated set comprising a brief bandeau top and a bubble-waisted skirt by Vera Wang. The billowing detail around the abdomen added the perfect touch of drama to an otherwise minimal outfit that was accessorized with diamond jewelry from Bulgari and Zendaya's long braids that have now become a staple. 

The daring red ensemble was symbolic of Zendaya's spirited adventures in fashion, a detail the CFDA also hailed their youngest Fashion Icon awardee for: "Time and again, she has proven that she is unafraid to take risks" (via Instagram). Runway legend Iman presented the honor to Zendaya, who took the podium to deliver a heartfelt speech about the significance of fashion in her life. "It's been a creative outlet and kind of an extension of all the reasons why I love acting," she said. "Fashion did something special for me. It gave me the extraordinary gift of transformation." 

It takes one queen to know another. Hollywood's reigning superstar Zendaya paid a memorable tribute to music legend Beyoncé at the BET Awards in the best fashion possible — quite literally. The "Euphoria" actor showed up for the 2021 event in a barely-there purple dress that turned heads for more than one reason. The first, of course, was on account of Zendaya looking absolutely stunning. Secondly, there was no mistaking the infinitely iconic inspiration behind it. The low-plunging Versace number was the same one Beyoncé wore to the 2003 edition of the same award show, where she set the stage on fire with an unforgettable rendition of her then-fresh chart-topper "Crazy in Love." 

The purple dress left a deep imprint on public consciousness as one of Beyoncé's best looks of all time – and few other than Zendaya could have shouldered that legacy. In collaboration with her ever-dependable stylist Law Roach — who gave himself a deserving shoutout on Instagram for dipping into the fashion archives — Zendaya pulled off this vintage Versace with such panache that it won praise even from Beyoncé's mother. Tina Knowles took to social media to upvote Zendaya's look, revealing how back in 2003, she had personally snipped a few inches off the dress' original ankle-reaching hem for her daughter's BET Awards performance. 

Sheer fashion is a game of both risk and risqué that few can pull off. As she has proven time and time again, Zendaya is a top player. She gave the trend of see-through dressing one of its finest moments back in 2022, when she arrived for a Valentino show at Paris Fashion Week in a black catsuit that immediately won favor among fans (and non-fans, we're sure). The transparent attire was paired smartly with tight-fit shorts and an oversized blazer, which provided strategic coverup in the places that demanded it. The entire ensemble was as laden with rhinestones as it was with the distinct monogram of Valentino, for which she is a brand ambassador. 

Zendaya brought the perfect amount of razzle-dazzle to the runway show. Her outfit, besides being a successful specimen of the sheer fashion trend, was also a good lesson in layering. It wasn't the only time the Hollywood star aced this fusion. She wore a rendition of her hit look a year later to the opening of the Bulgari Hotel in Rome, pairing a sparkly Valentino suit with a fishnet top. It was a last-minute ensemble, the actor shared on Instagram, after her original outfit for the event didn't make the event (via Teen Vogue). There was surely no cause for worry because, as past experience had shown, a sheer-layered look on Zendaya is bound to be a knockout — as it was. 

Having fun with outfits is one way to kickstart the launch of a film. And nobody does it better than Zendaya. The undisputed queen of dressing to the nines, the Hollywood icon rarely misses an opportunity to incorporate some symbolism into her outfits. This diligence usually means that her film premieres are as much an exhibit of her acting chops as they are of her creative fashion sensibilities. At the Los Angeles premiere of Marvel's 2021 feature "Spider-Man: No Way Home" for instance, Zendaya channeled the theme of the superhero film by opting for a gossamer-like gown that had cobweb designs splattered all across it. 

The skin-baring Valentino creation flaunted a deep neck, a low back, and a high slit — all of which Zendaya conducted with MJ-like cool. We're not sure how the dress' many risqué cuts stayed in place but Zendaya's confident mien had us convinced that there was no room for a wardrobe mishap. The icing on the cake was an accessory she briefly had on — a feathered mask that referenced the iconic silhouette of Spider-Man's own. As Zendaya posed for pictures with Tom Holland — who had on a suave but simple brown suit — there was little doubt about who stole the show that night. 

Zendaya is not the most avid wearer of animal prints as some of her industry colleagues are. So on the odd occasion that the "Malcolm & Marie" star does indulge in the fashion trend, headlines are made. One such moment happened in 2023, when Zendaya slipped into an audacious head-to-toe tiger print attire to attend a Louis Vuitton show at Paris Fashion Week. 

Save for a teeny-tiny black bralette peeking out from under her coat, her whole look was covered in stripes — boots included. But when has fashion excess ever scared Zendaya? As her longtime stylist Law Roach told People, "We like to create aspirational looks that people will talk about for a while." We daresay they were more than successful. 

The micro shorts made for a refreshing take on Zendaya's favored suit-style outfits and she carried them off like a pro — despite, as British Vogue noted, the winter chill that day. All in all, this was one of the actor's most exciting animal print outings, of which there have been plenty in the past. It definitely topped the animal print ensemble she wore to the Billboard Music Awards in 2015, flaunting an ultra-patterned pantsuit that was a tad too wild. 

Zendaya has no bad angles — and neither do her outfits. The Emmy-winning star was a vision to behold at the 2021 Ballon d'Or red carpet in Paris, where all eyes were as much on her superstar looks as they were on her exquisite dress. The vintage Roberto Cavalli piece, fished out of the luxury label's 2000 collection, was all-black save for some open-back gold detailing that stole the show. A column of shiny vertebrae held the dress together all the way from the top to Zendaya's lower back, from whence the figure-hugging dress picked up all the way down to the floor.  

Fans were convinced that the skeletal embellishment — which resembled the futuristic tentacles of Doctor Octopus, a major adversary to Spider-Man – was Zendaya's way of paying tribute to Marvel's superhero franchise, of which she has been a part since 2017. Honestly, one didn't have to squint too hard to see the likeness. Even the actor appeared to indulge the theory by re-sharing an Instagram post that made this pictorial comparison, writing, "We love a reference" (via Us Weekly). This cinematic wink didn't entirely come as a jolt, what with the release of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" around the corner at the time and Zendaya's well-known penchant for dressing to the theme of her films. A true creative, if ever there was one.

If Zendaya is showing up to an event, she will unequivocally slay. That much is a given at this point. At the NAACP Image Awards 2023, she took things up a notch by slaying with not one, but two statement outfits that left fans gasping for breath. For what marked only her first red carpet appearance that year, the former Disney star knocked it out of the park by slipping into an ethereal two-toned piece from Atelier Versace's 2002 collection. The voluminous black silk gown with green trimmings all over featured a plunging neckline and far-reaching split up the center for that classic Y2K high glam, complemented perfectly by her brown bob cut. 

And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, the award-winning actor walked onto the NAACP stage having switched into her second successful look for the night. As Zendaya's longtime image architect Law Roach wrote about the look on Instagram, "You had dinner.... now it's time for dessert!" An all-white ensemble that starkly contrasted her red carpet gown, it was made up of a bra and skirt combo with gutsy star-spangled cutouts that pushed the envelope of awards night fashion. Retrieved from Prada's runway archives dating back to 1993, the outfit was slightly reinvented for Zendaya to wear the bottom as a skirt instead of the original trousers. Epic, either way.

Leave it to Zendaya to wear a breastplate to a red carpet. In a look that can only be described as celestial, the "Euphoria" star arrived at the 2020 Critics' Choice Awards strapped into a hot pink metallic top and a co-ordinated skirt that constituted more an armor than an outfit. She may have not bagged the Best Actress award for her leading role as Rue Bennett on the drama series, but she sure won the night with her avant-garde Tom Ford breastplate. (Special shoutout to her bum-grazing braids!) 

It wasn't the first the world was seeing of that chrome fuchsia cutout; it had actually made its Hollywood debut a few days prior to Zendaya's red carpet showcase, when actor Gwyneth Paltrow posed in it as the cover star of Harper's Bazaar's February 2020 issue. The "Emma" star was seemingly ecstatic about the piece's return, writing on social media, "Thank God I can say I have something in common with Zendaya." 

Zendaya's wasn't an exact replica though, with the young actor revealing that she was custom-fitted for her breastplate. "They came to my house and I stood topless in my living room, while they had this machine that scanned my boobs," she told British Vogue. She also laid to rest the internet's ever-present questions about the (dis)comfort of wearing such outfits, saying that the metal turtleneck came with an absorbent lining that took care of sweat. 

Wet look dresses are all the rage among some of showbiz's boldest celebrities. From Shakira to Kim Kardashian, all have had a go at it. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood's trailblazing fashionista Zendaya would give it a spin. She did in 2021, showing up to the Venice Film Festival for the premiere of her film "Dune" in a nude, form-fitting gown that gave her the look of one who took a shower with their clothes on. The Balmain piece featured a dangerously high thigh slit, as well as ruched details around the chest and abdomen to give the impression of dampness. Zendaya's wet-styled locks only added to the authenticity. 

What was especially impressive to fans was the artistry behind the wet-dry appearance, which the dressmakers liberally detailed on social media. Leather craftsman Robert Mercier shared on Instagram how a 3D model of Zendaya's torso was used as a workstation to customize the leather dress according to her measurements (via Image Magazine). The process of creating the dress looked as laborious as the thought of slipping into a wet leather outfit seems to be. Unsurprisingly, Zendaya carried the nude number off with effortless grace, looking nothing short of a surreal vision straight out of Arrakis. 

Too much of a good thing is ... not necessarily bad — especially when it comes to Zendaya. Hollywood's hottest young icon turned up the heat at Paris Fashion Week 2022 in an all-pink ensemble that could have given Barbie a run for her money. Even against the Valentino show's fuchsia theme, the luxury brand's ambassador managed to stand out in her co-ordinated sweeping trench coat, floral appliqué trousers, and plunging blouse. 

All that hot pink could have been an overkill but the way Zendaya held her poise, she convinced us it was not, living up to the regard Valentino's top bosses hold for her. "She is aware of her bodily presence and she matches it with a radical romanticism that is completely aligned with everything we are doing in our brand," creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli told Women's Wear Daily.

Her fuchsia glam seemed like a bold choice. Except, Zendaya has been known to rock pink suits in the past. She took the "Good Morning America" stage by storm in that armor not once, but twice — first in 2017 and then again in 2021. The former was a baby pink joyride from Dundas, while the other was a well-tailored woolen number from Alexander McQueen. It's safe to say that Zendaya has all but established herself as the queen of business casual. 

Zendaya is not one to play by the rules — even if the diktat comes straight from fashion's final word, Anna Wintour. The Hollywood star walked the Met Gala red carpet in 2017 wearing a look that all but stopped the show. Her billowing off-shoulder Dolce & Gabbana gown was an instant standout at the fashionable fundraiser that encourages attendees to turn up in their quirkiest best. Going by the vivid tropical prints of colored parrots and flowers she was draped in, Zendaya did get the memo for the Met's experimental tenor — even though her outfit didn't completely fit the bill for that year's theme of Comme des Garçons, as organizer Vogue pointed out. 

It hardly went as a strike against her record, with the fashion magazine naming Zendaya among their co-chairs for the 2024 fundraiser. In fact, Zendaya's theme-defying Alta Moda ballgown won a special mention in the announcement as one of the actor's best fashion moments at the Met. And really, has anyone been able to forget any aspect of that look at all? From her brushed out afro to her tangerine lip, everything was a statement. The chainmail armor suit that she wore to the 2018 event as a modern-day Joan of Arc also got a deserving shoutout. 

Like a true artist worth their salt does, Zendaya gets into the skin of her characters as profoundly as she can — and she doesn't discriminate. Her commitment comes equally for Oscar-winning films like "Dune" as it does for animated bonanzas like "Space Jam: A New Legacy." The latter — for which Zendaya voiced the classic character of Lola Bunny — failed to land with critics when it was released in 2021. But the actor just about made up for this failed film moment with a fashion moment that was delightfully true to character and deserves to go down in the books as one of her boldest. 

For the premiere of the live-action comedy, Zendaya showed up in a long-sleeved jacket and micro shorts combo popping with cartoon colors. The tribute to her Looney Tunes character was evident, not just in her colorblocked Moschino ensemble but also her hair, which was swept up into Lola Bunny's signature high ponytail. The look was a medley of curious red carpet choices — from the hot pants to the graphic colors — and Zendaya pulled it off with great fun as only she could.