Zendaya has become one of the most influential celebrities in Hollywood. She has established herself as a force to be reckoned with through her acting skills, being regarded as an extremely talented actress. While her professional life has certainly earned her a reputation, she is also well-known for her fashion sense.
The actress is a respected figure in the world of fashion, always making a statement with the clothing she adorns. However, such acclaim did not come easy, and the actress had to work towards it for many years. Recently, a close friend, Law Roach, spoke about a time when she wasn’t as successful and what her fashion choices were then.
It would seem that five brands refused to work with her when she was still starting out, and Zendaya held a grudge.
5 Brands Thought Zendaya Wasn’t Famous Enough To Wear Their Clothes
It is quite a common phenomenon for celebrities to be styled by successful brands as a form of promoting each other. When making public appearances or walking the red carpet, it is very rare to see a star not wearing clothes from a successful brand. Zendaya is no different in this, having worn pieces by some of the most well-known brands out there.
Ever since the actress was 14, she has been styled by the American fashion stylist, Law Roach. Recently, he gave an interview on The Cutting Room Floor podcast, where he talked about what it was like to work with her. Interestingly enough, he revealed that five brands refused to work with the actress when she was starting out.
“I would write the big five. I would write Saint Laurent, Chanel, Gucci, Valentino, Dior, and they would all say, ‘No, try again next year. She’s too green. She’s not on our calendar,’” Roach said
It would seem that when Zendaya was still a fresh face in Hollywood, Roach would reach out to Saint Laurent, Chanel, Gucci, Valentino, and Dior when she needed to get styled for an event. Unfortunately, they would have some other excuse to not dress her. They would either claim to have their hands full or say that she was fairly new to the industry and should try again next year.
Zendaya Held A Grudge
While such treatment is not uncommon, it would seem that it had a lasting effect on Zendaya. Law Roach revealed that once she started to make her name for herself and become more and more successful, she made quite a bold decision. Even though Saint Laurent, Chanel, Gucci, Valentino, and Dior are the biggest brands in the world of fashion, she decided that she would not work with them of her own volition.
“I still have the receipts,” he continued. “By the time she got to [the cover of] American Vogue [in 2017], she still had never worn any of those designers. She still hasn’t.”
While she has worn these brands every now and then, there are very strict conditions to it. The actress will only wear their clothing during editorial shoots when she has no other choice. If she has to wear them at events or red carpets, it would be under contract and not because she wants to.
“She still has never worn Dior on a carpet. She still has never worn Chanel on a carpet. She has still never worn Gucci on a carpet — any press, any appearance, never. Never,” Roach said. “The first time she wore Valentino in public is when she had a contract.”
It is safe to say that this is a valiant decision considering just how influential these brands are and how much power Zendaya holds.
