Zendaya's next chapter: a fashion debut and a shift in style
Zendaya’s star power continues to burn bright, dominating headlines with her latest film, The Drama, and now, a highly anticipated fashion collaboration with On. The actress, alongside longtime stylist Law Roach, unveiled a seven-piece womenswear collection designed to redefine athletic style and challenge traditional expectations.
Beyond the red carpet: zendaya’s vision for accessible style
Moving beyond the glitz of premieres, Zendaya shared a surprisingly grounded perspective on her early relationship with fashion. “Something my parents allowed me to do when I was a kid was express myself through my clothes,” she recalled, “They kind of just let me dress myself, which was cool. So I wasn’t that kid who had the perfect matching outfit going to school—I kind of just picked whatever I wanted, starting in kindergarten, first grade.” This early freedom, untainted by the pressures of social media, fostered a genuine approach to style—a focus on confidence and personal preference rather than external perception.
Discussing the influence of her 14-year-old daughter, Zendaya acknowledged the drastically different landscape of self-expression today, citing the pervasive impact of platforms like YouTube and the constant scrutiny of social media. “It’s a completely different thing,” she stated, “With social media, it’s just so much more… intense. It’s just something that you had to figure out on your own.”
The on collection: minimalism meets movement
The collection itself, a thoughtful blend of minimalist silhouettes and versatile pieces, reflects Zendaya’s desire to create clothing that transcends athletic performance. “I wanted it to feel like it’s really for everyone,” she explained. “I’m not an athlete, though I really admire so many of the professional athletes they work with, but a lot of their clothes previously have been built just for that. And I started thinking: well, what does that athlete wear in those in-between times, when they’re traveling, they’re walking their dog? What would make them feel confident and comfortable and would be easy for them to throw on?”
Law Roach, a constant collaborator and a vital force behind the collection’s aesthetic, elaborated on the design process, emphasizing the importance of personal connection and archival research. “We’re constantly sending back and forth inspirations and things that she’s seen in her travels, things I’ve seen in my travels, things that I’ve seen on runways,” he said. “It’s a very real process—it’s not Zendaya and I just putting our name on things and saying we think it’s cool. We’re literally involved in every step, from inception all the way to completion.”
The collection’s accompanying Spike Jonze video, a kinetic exploration of movement and creativity, further underscores the brand’s commitment to individuality. “It’s about trying to explore, in a really kind of sweet way, all those internal thoughts during a creative process,” Zendaya noted. “I don’t know—I watch it and it just makes me really happy.”
From the comfortable Cloudnova Moon shoe to the thoughtfully designed separates, the On collection represents a significant evolution for both Zendaya and the brand. It’s a testament to her ability to influence not just the entertainment industry, but the broader cultural conversation around style and self-expression. Ultimately, Zendaya’s latest venture is less about a trend and more about an enduring philosophy: “They're very versatile pieces—say, with the pants, which I love: I wear them differently than how Law wears them, and differently than how I see other people wearing them. I’ve been having my friends and family wear the things—I want people to make them their own—and it’s really fun to see how different people style the pieces and how they incorporate them into their wardrobe.”