The best way to dress the part of an ethereal Greek goddess? Wear an otherworldly dress just hours after it debuted on the runway. At the world premiere of The Odyssey on July 6, Zendaya did just that in striking Schiaparelli couture.
The same day it appeared in the fall 2026 couture week show in Paris, the Daniel Roseberry design was given the ultimate red-carpet co-sign by Zendaya over in London. Its molded chest—made of white glazed silicone—offered a porcelain-like finish, featuring chiseled ab detailing and a sharp V-cut shape. The structured bustier flowed into a beaded floor-length skirt with opulent white-to-gray gradient, which was illuminated from within for a surreal floating effect.
In signature Schiaparelli style, there were fantastical details abound, including the tightly-wound corset lining the back. On the red carpet, Zendaya and stylist Law Roach infused the look with personal styling elements, from a stacked diamond necklace to glowy Mediterranean glam.
Roach was spotted sitting front row at the Schiaparelli show in Paris this morning where he watched the dress walk down the runway as the closing look. Chatting with Lyas backstage in an Instagram video, Roach revealed that the dress would be taken off the model and flown directly to Zendaya in London via private jet.
Not only is the statuesque number an impressive pull, but it’s also perfectly fitting for the themes of the upcoming Greek epic, in which Zendaya plays Athena, the goddess of strength and warfare. There’s no more appropriate motif to honor Athena than the age-old breastplate.
Though it may not be the most wearable item, there is a reason the battle-read garment has remained ever-present in pop culture. Originating in Ancient Greece, the rock-hard design is inherently powerful and eternally evocative of the corporeal form. It’s why it was a recurring motif at this year’s body-meets-art Met Gala, with Kylie Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Kim Kardashian all wearing some variation of a breastplate.
Long before its 2026 renaissance, though, Zendaya has been a devotee to the molded bustier. At the Critics’ Choice Awards in 2020, she famously wore a cropped, asymmetrical fuchsia metallic iteration by Tom Ford. While that look went viral for its hot-pink allure, her latest all-white number can be considered a grown-up second act.
It was not her only look of the day, however. Shortly after her Schiaparelli appearance, Zendaya channelled a different Grecian aesthetic in a gauzy Valentino fall 2026 gown with leaf appliqués, rib cutouts and an airy pleated skirt.
From ab-accentuating garments to draping reminiscent of hard-carved sculptures, the Grecian-adjacent designs were arguably made for Zendaya on The Odyssey press tour. You’d be forgiven for mistaking her for a statue rendered in marble.
