No. 1 in 2026 fashion race: Zendaya’s The Odyssey premiere look
Zendaya just turned heads with a look fashion critics are celebrating, with its silhouette and styling doing the talking.
At the New York premiere of The Odyssey , Zendaya arrived in a custom off‑white Matières Fécales “Ange” gown that looked engineered to stop foot traffic: sculptural feathered wings arcing from her shoulders, a plunging corseted bodice, a thigh‑high slit and a sweeping train built for the cameras. The date was July 14, but the vibe was straight Mount Olympus.
Named 2026 ’s best celebrity look by 50 top Hollywood stylists (per The Hollywood Reporter).
Styled by longtime collaborator Law Roach, the dress was a meticulous one‑off: micro hand‑pleated chiffon and magnificent white rooster‑feather wings that turned the step‑and‑repeat into a tableau. She finished it with more than 30 carats of Chopard diamonds, Christian Louboutin pumps and a loose bohemian fishtail braid — a soft counterpoint to the gown’s architecture.
The fashion crowd took notice. According to The Hollywood Reporter’s poll, stylist Tara Swennen said the look took her breath away, while Ilaria Urbinati compared Zendaya to a painting. And the outfit wasn’t a flash in the pan — it crowned a run that also included a sculptural Schiaparelli in London and an architectural Louis Vuitton shirt‑dress by Nicolas Ghesquière in Paris.
Who she beat
It was a stacked year on the red carpet. Among the contenders THR’s stylists considered:
- Emma Chamberlain — a custom Mugler by Miguel Castro Freitas at the Met Gala (“Fashion Is Art”), with a rainbow, impressionist‑style surface that took over 40 hours to paint.
- Demi Moore — a hot‑pink Matières Fécales ballgown at Cannes, styled by Brad Goreski.
- Zoë Kravitz, Hailey Bieber and Rosé — Saint Laurent muses who turned the CFDA Awards into a liquid‑gold moment.
- Keke Palmer — a vintage Bob Mackie once worn by Raquel Welch.
- Renate Reinsve and Hunter Schafer — standout looks on the Oscars and Euphoria premiere circuits.
One last twist: that winged “Ange” gown had reportedly been waiting in the wings for over two years before its New York debut — landing at exactly the right moment for Zendaya’s Odyssey rollout.