Zendaya in Torishéju Dumi

We begin with something that might even have a small case of the sandworms. It is incredibly specific and I cannot imagine it having a context out of this one; I also find myself wondering if each piece would feel like less of a jumble if it were paired with a simpler other half. Like a basic white blouse with the skirt, or cigarette pants with the top.

in Bottega Veneta

Again, I understand that the top is what's bringing the funk, but the skirt is cool and is the part I like better. And it's not just because of the underboob. ... Although it is LARGELY because of the underboob. The top looks like she or Law cut a hole in a poncho.

in Alaia

This is so great. I believe I said at the time that it reminds me of when you get a report bound at Kinkos. It looks like they made it on her body.

in Louis Vuitton

This overwhelms her less, to me, than the Bottega did a couple slides ago. But the proportions do seem a little off -- I still want the skirt to sit higher. That material is magic, though, and she's more than up to the challenge of that cowl.

in Roksanda

Scrolldown. Love the color, love how it starts, don't love that Willy Wonka may have put this in his stretching machine.

in vintage Mugler

This one was REALLY divisive, including on the issue of whether or not it actually applies to Dune as a thematic reference. I think Zendaya and Law are students of fashion and decided to ask for this suit just to see if they'd even GET it -- kind of a test of their power -- and then when they did, they had to actually follow through. Be careful what you wish for, etc. Dressing up as an android looks miserable.

And having to put your butt sweat on display seems even worse. Not that I am necessarily seeing any, but you know it was there. I think she even said this was hot as hell and hard to move in; it is an experiment I hope they don't repeat, but bravo to her for selling it this well, even if I think it was the wrong vibe.

I mean... this could be her presidential campaign poster, for the world in which androids hold all elected offices and just borrow the faces of beloved celebs.

in Mugler

My other argument for the robot suit being worn only because they didn't expect to get it and then HAD to go through with it, is that they packed a second dress and had Zendaya change into it fairly quickly. And that second dress is beautiful and basic and comfortable, which she DESERVED after putting herself into that contraption.

in vintage Givenchy

The computer circuitry here is more of a winky nod to the sci-fi genre than full-on cosplay, which is why I prefer it. I do think this could've been finished with some funky boots, rather than standard 90s office wear. Even the original came down the runway with red suede booties. It feels more contemporary, and it was freaking 1999.

with Timothee in Juun. J

Okay, but the matching jumpsuits are hilarious, as is the fact that the only other person at this event was Austin Butler and he didn't get one.

in Stephane Rolland

"That cutout reminds me of the forks we use to lift out turkey out of the roasting pan on Thanksgiving," I thought, only to look back and read that I said the EXACT same thing originally. At least I'm consistent? I like this, though. It feels funky and a little futuristic without giving me a concussion.

in Roberto Cavalli

I love how loose and free this feels.

in Gaultier

I understand the high-low mix, but I think it swerves WAY too hard from one into the other, and then the pumps are a lazy ending.

in Louis Vuitton

This was a very lightly photographed dinner sponsored by Vuitton, so her wearing it makes sense, and it being very chill ALSO makes sense. Well, "chill." It's not sweatpants. But it's not a robot.

Zendaya

You know what this reminds me of, a little? That child's toy where it's a dude's face and you have all the little lead shavings, and you use a magnet to drag them around and give him weird different facial hair. Except... this is the beautiful version. Not that what I did with him wasn't ever beautiful, because IT WAS.

in Loewe

Oh, Loewe. Not only do we have the shadow of a tennis player, but we also have the cutout of the ball. It's a clever idea, but also SO on-the-nose. I wonder if this would have been more effective for me if they'd built to it, as opposed to starting with it.

in Louis Vuitton

I LOVE seeing her in a different style of shoe, but the material and the cut here befit the sprightliest 75 year old on the country club's planning committee.

in LV

She looks a little nervous about how short this is. I'm sure she WASN'T -- is Zendaya nervous about those kinds of things? -- but she isn't fully inhabiting this the way she normally does.

in Louis Vuitton

This is like a palate cleanser. It's a whole lot of blank space.

Marilla Sicilia/Archivio Marilla Sicilia/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

I do love those shoes. Actually, this whole thing is cute, and maybe THIS should have been the starting point?

in Calvin Klein

It was a shock to see Calvin Klein back on the red carpet. This is a HUGE get for them, but even though she looks superb in this, they maybe threw away their shot? It's not special enough on its own to make anyone else line up at their door. She's doing all the work.

in Thom Browne

And of course there are tiny crossed tennis rackets on this, which is an ode to Wimbledon's logo. (Is it still the logo?)

in 1994 Vivienne Westwood

For whatever reason, Law and Zendaya chose something from Westwood's Cafe Society show -- more about it here -- for this stop. Maybe they picked it because it's sporty? It's cute enough...

... until you get to the tailfeathers.

in Brunello Cucinelli

This is a tribute to the time women's tennis uniforms were required to be this modest. She also wore a recreation of Althea Gibson's tennis whites around this time, but we didn't have photos of it available anymore. These are thoughtful and lovely, and more interesting to me.

in 1992 Ralph Lauren

MILAN, ITALY - APRIL 14: Zendaya attends the photocall for the movie "Challengers" on April 14, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by /Getty Images)

in Vera Wang

Well, look. I asked for less thematic stuff, and we got it, but I did NOT ask for more Vera Wang stuff. I don't care for this design at all, and it doesn't feel very Zendaya to me -- like, it makes me wonder who over there did any research, if at all. I almost wish she'd gone full-out and worn the Venus/Serena Williams tribute they did on their own time.

in Celia Kritharioti

I am not sure I can top what I wrote at the time. This, with the little tennis ball at her navel, might also have been better to start, rather than a limp to the finish line.

in Ralph Lauren

I like it, but that's the second coat in this slideshow that they've put her in where it seems UNCERTAIN that it was actually meant to be passed off as a dress.

We can't really see this. But I can already tell I like it better than a lot of things. It just feels calm and competent and chill.

in Jacquemus

UNLIKE THIS. Friends, this nearly undid me. It is absurd and I loathe it.

We ALL need a palate cleanser, so here she is in the shirt made famous by Challengers, looking like she's enjoying being off-duty.

in vintage Mugler

I might love this. I LOVE a strut in a well-cut suit.

in Erdem

And it is VERY hard to be crotchety about THIS.

Or this! For a morning show, it's ideal.

in Alaia

This is a bit... antiseptic? But Sexy Antiseptic, I suppose.

This cries out for a full-length slip.

Zendaya in Maison Margiela, recreating a 1999 Dior

And then, after all that, Zendaya hosted the Met Gala. And wore two COMPLETELY different looks, down to the glam. We have a lot of info on the theme in our contemporaneous post, but suffice to say that I think this was enough look for one night and that it served the dress code the best.

in 1996 Givenchy

I love them going vintage for a "Garden of Time" event, and the fresh flowers on her hat contrasting the gloom of the rest of it. But... it IS gloomy, and just because you CAN pull off a cornucopia of roses doesn't mean you SHOULD.

I will never not complain about how the carpet design looked like mildew. Even if that was the idea... what a horrific idea.

in Loewe

She switched into a Loewe for the post-party, and it looks infinitely more comfy.

in Vuitton

THEN she got a break until Vuitton needed her at the Olympics, for which she wisely just had them make her a nice tank dress.

in Burberry

I don't love this, but at this point in her year, I was just happy to see her wearing stuff just for the hell of it and not because it had a secret meaning.

in Vuitton

My least favorite iteration of this set of Vuitton dresses, I think.

I left out other fashion show appearances, but decided to include this one from Louis Vuitton just because it was fun to dunk on it. That top looks super on her, and the bottom looks like crumpled up unbleached paper towels that someone used to mop up a HUGE spill.

in Bob Mackie

This was designed as a tribute to Cher, whom she introduced at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. It was also divisive, but I think it's perfect -- Cher's look was iconic and groundbreaking in a lot of ways, and is a huge part of her legacy as a performer. Fashion is the connective tissue between her and Zendaya. So I bless this.

But MY GOD, I bless it even more when she's wearing the AMAZING coat. I love that.

in Vuitton

I had to get in her petite king. But I do also really like that dress.

It cracks me up that on the night the twain finally met, Zendaya was like, "You know what? I give up, I'm keeping my jammy bottoms on."

Zendaya Had a Divisive Year

Some home runs in here, but some HUHs, too.