Oh, you thought Zendaya’s tennis-inspired wardrobe for the Challengers press tour was over? That’s cute.
On Thursday afternoon, stylist Law Roach shared yet another serve from Zendaya, this time decked out in a magnificent black and white ball gown that called back to a 1998 photo shoot of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams by Annie Leibovitz.
“An ode to the GREATS @venuswilliams @serenawilliams,” wrote Roach, who has served as the architect behind many of Zendaya’s jaw-dropping press tour looks. “We thank you for all you have done!”
Carolina Herrera creative director Wes Gordon was tasked with replicating the champion-worthy ball gown—no easy feat, to be sure. The dress featured wide vertical strips of black and white, stark contrasting colors that perfectly sculpted the piece’s waist-snatching bodice and voluminous skirt.
Zendaya wore her hair like the Williamses did in the original photo shoot, in shoulder-length white beads—a ’do that became the sisters’ signature style on court in the ’90s and early ’00s. (The Euphoria star’s wig was crafted by hairstylists Kim Kimble and Ursula Stephen.)
Zendaya has aced one tennis-core look after another throughout the promotional run for Challengers, in which she plays fictional tennis superstar Tashi Duncan. Indeed, Venus Williams herself showed her support for the film by showing up to its Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday, where the athlete looked just as stylish in a textured gray corseted minidress by Vivienne Westwood Couture.
In a red-carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight, Zendaya acknowledged the presence of the GOAT. “I heard that she came and I was like, ‘No way! This is the coolest thing,’ ” she said. “I know Serena’s seen the movie, but I’m very nervous about [Venus] seeing my tennis. Like, ooh, girl … I apologize in advance.”
![los angeles, california april 16 venus williams arrives at the los angeles premiere of amazon mgm studios challengers at westwood village theater on april 16, 2024 in los angeles, california photo by steve granitzfilmmagic](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-2148919605-662188d05e9fa.jpg?crop=0.815xw:0.929xh;0.0238xw,0.0323xh&resize=980:* "Los Angeles Premiere Of Amazon MGM Studios "Challengers" - Arrivals")
As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she’s probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset.
