Zendaya's Stylist Reveals the Struggle to Dress Her Early in Her Career

Zendaya's stylist, Law Roach, has opened up about the challenges he faced when he first started working with the actress, including the lack of support from luxury brands. Despite the initial obstacles, Roach found creative ways to get Zendaya noticed and build her fashion profile, ultimately leading to her becoming a style icon.

Overcoming Adversity: How Zendaya's Stylist Paved the Way for Her Fashion Dominance

Luxury Brands Turned a Blind Eye

When Zendaya first started her career on the Disney channel, luxury brands were hesitant to work with her, believing she couldn't effectively market their clothes to a wider audience. Roach revealed that Chanel, Saint Laurent, Dior, Gucci, and Valentino all refused to collaborate with the young actress.Undeterred, Roach implemented a strict policy: if a brand turned them down, they would never be able to work with Zendaya again. "If it's a no now, it's a no forever," he said.

Strategizing for Exposure

Roach recognized that the brands that received the most press coverage were the ones that got the best dresses. With this in mind, he set out to increase Zendaya's media exposure, particularly by getting her featured in US Weekly's "Who Wore It Best" polls.To achieve this, Roach intentionally dressed Zendaya in outfits he had seen other celebrities wearing, knowing that the competition would generate buzz and attention. "I figured out that whoever got the most press got the best dresses, so I was, like, I need to get her more press," the stylist told The New Yorker.

Vintage Pieces and Perseverance

In the early days of their partnership, Zendaya largely wore vintage pieces because that was all that was available to them. Roach, who had previously owned a vintage store in Chicago, utilized his expertise to source unique and eye-catching looks for the actress."We've been [pulling vintage] since Zendaya and I began working together, for 13 years now. At first, it came out of necessity because back when we started, nobody would lend her clothes," Roach explained in a Vogue interview.

Securing a Met Gala Invitation

Roach's persistence paid off when he refused to leave without a black-and-teal Ungaro dress for Zendaya to wear to the Grammy Awards in 2014. The publicist initially didn't want to give them the dress, citing concerns about Zendaya's ability to "translate the brand to a woman that has the means to buy those clothes."However, Roach stood his ground, and after the creative director of Ungaro saw Zendaya in the dress, she was invited to attend the prestigious Met Gala for the first time.

Unwavering Commitment

Despite announcing his retirement from celebrity styling in 2023, Roach has made it clear that he will not stop working with Zendaya. He considers her to be his "family" and the one client he cannot simply "pick up and leave.""How can I just pick up and leave somebody when I'm the only stylist they've ever had? She's literally the one client where I'm like: 'That is my family,' he remarked to Interview Magazine's Mel Ottenberg.Roach's unwavering dedication and creative problem-solving have been instrumental in shaping Zendaya's rise to fashion icon status. Through his perseverance and strategic approach, he has helped her overcome the initial challenges and establish herself as a true style trailblazer.