The phrase “fresh off the runway” now has a new face—and it’s Zendaya’s. Last night, at the London premiere of Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated upcoming film *The Odyssey*, she stunned everyone with her look. Not only because it was a couture masterpiece, but because that very same dress had been shown just a few hours earlier on the Schiaparelli runway in Paris, worn by Alex Consani to close the Fall 2026 Haute Couture collection by Daniel Roseberry.
From Paris to London in just a few hours: a feat that inevitably bears the hallmark of Law Roach, the longtime stylist and creative mind behind Zendaya’s image. It’s no coincidence that he was sitting in the front row at the Schiaparelli fashion show that very morning. A few hours later, Zendaya became the first celebrity to wear one of the newly unveiled creations on the red carpet. This achievement is even more remarkable considering that it was a couture piece—handcrafted and featuring extremely delicate materials, intricate finishes, and technological details that require extreme care during transport, dressing, and preparation.
The dress, destined to become one of the most iconic pieces in the collection, is a true work of wearable art. The design centers on a sculpted white silicone bustier with a glazed porcelain effect—a signature element that Daniel Roseberry reinterpreted in several looks on the runway. The silhouette is completed by a rowing-style back with lacing details and long mirrored fringes embroidered with a refined dégradé that fades from white to a mirror effect, creating continuous reflections of light with every movement. It is also illuminated by an innovative LED lighting system integrated into the garment’s structure, causing it to literally glow from within—a dramatic effect that Daniel Roseberry used as the central theme of the entire collection.
In addition, Zendaya chose a necklace from Chopard’s Haute Joaillerie collection, adorned with 88.48 carats of diamonds set in 18-karat white gold.
Zendaya’s “method dressing”
For the promotional tour of *The Odyssey*, in which she plays the goddess Athena, Zendaya has already delivered some of the most successful and talked-about examples of “method dressing” this year. With each appearance, the actress seems to establish a direct dialogue with the film’s visual universe, choosing looks that evoke its aesthetic without ever veering into full-on stage costume. Among the most memorable is the custom look by Jacquemus, followed by the ensemble from Khaite’s Resort 2027 collection: two very different outfits united by fluid lines, draping, sculptural silhouettes, and an understated elegance that evokes the imagery of Greek mythology reinterpreted in a contemporary key. A styling strategy meticulously crafted down to the smallest detail, capable of evoking the character of Athena through subtle rather than explicit references.
After all, when it comes to method dressing, Zendaya has become a leading figure: together with her longtime stylist Law Roach, she has helped redefine this way of telling a film’s story through fashion, transforming every red carpet into an extension of the cinematic narrative. From the press tours for *Dune* and *Challengers* to those for *Spider-Man* and *The Drama*, each wardrobe has been designed as an integral part of the promotional campaign, with looks that evoke the film’s atmosphere, characters, and themes without compromising on high fashion. With *The Odyssey* as well, the duo once again confirms why they are considered one of the most influential pairs in the contemporary fashion world.
[📸 IPA; schiaparelli.com]
