Zendaya’s Latest Look Transports Us to a 1940s Spider-Verse

Style icon, award-winning actor and famed historian Zendaya is never one to shy away from venturing into the archives. With the help of stylist Law Roach, she regularly turns to the ’90s for impressive couture pulls, from her pagoda-sleeved goddess dress on The Odyssey press tour to her otherworldly robot suit at the Dune premiere. Her most recent ensemble, however, goes a few decades deeper.

While doing press for Spider-Man: Brand New Day in Mexico City on July 22, the star sported a black cocktail gown originally made in the 1940s. Made of rayon crepe, the dress comprised a slinky, breathable skirt and a top that cascaded into a subtle peplum silhouette. But it was the embroidery—a sprawling sequined spiderweb that stretched across the bodice—that drove home the moody, arachnid method-dressing.

The gown was sourced by Roach from San Diego vintage boutique Butch Wax Vintage. Owned and run by Amanda Suter, the store specializes in hard-to-find clothing from decades spanning the 1920s to the 1980s. After Zendaya made her appearance, Suter took to Instagram to share her enthusiasm about the final look. “They hemmed it to a cocktail length,” she wrote. “And I think it looks absolutely perfect on her.”

Though she was wearing a piece of history, Zendaya made it feel like her with the help of go-to red-carpet add-ons. She wore a pair of black So Kate Louboutin heels, diamond earrings and her hair in tight, bouncy curls. This marks the latest in a slew of Spider-Man: Brand New Day appearances in which the star has opted to wear all-black—hinting at a darker bent in this installment of the Marvel franchise. Of course, we won’t know how things unfold with M.J. until the film releases on July 31. In the meantime, we can only hope more obscure, retro pulls are on the way.