Zendaya’s stylist, Law Roach, recently shared insights into a strategic decision he made early in his collaboration with the actress—dressing her to resemble other celebrities.
When Zendaya was starting out on Disney Channel shows like Shake It Up and KC Undercover, high-end brands were hesitant to work with her, doubting her ability to effectively promote their clothing to a broader audience.
Roach revealed on the podcast The Cutting Room Floor that prestigious brands like Chanel, Saint Laurent, Dior, Gucci, and Valentino all initially declined to collaborate with Zendaya.
Zendaya’s Stylist Law Roach Spills The Secrets
He adopted a strict policy in response to these rejections: if a brand said no once, they would never get another chance. “If it’s a no now, it’s a no forever,” Roach emphasized.
In an interview with The New Yorker, Roach explained his approach to increasing Zendaya’s visibility. He realized that the celebrities who garnered the most media attention received the best outfits, so he focused on boosting her press coverage.
One tactic he employed was dressing Zendaya in outfits similar to those worn by other celebrities to get her featured in Us Weekly’s “Who Wore It Best” poll. Despite the possibility of losing, Roach was confident in Zendaya’s ability to outshine others, saying, “Because I know she’s going to win a battle.”
Roach has previously discussed the challenges they faced with brands unwilling to work with Zendaya. In a February interview with Vogue, he mentioned that they often relied on vintage clothing when they first began working together because it was the only option available.
“I Began Working Together, For 13 Years Now”
“We’ve been [pulling vintage] since Zendaya and I began working together, for 13 years now. Initially, it was out of necessity because back when we started, nobody would lend her clothes,” he said. Roach, who had a vintage store in Chicago, often dressed Zendaya in pieces from his store or other vintage finds.
He also recounted an incident in 2014 when a publicist was reluctant to lend him a black-and-teal Ungaro dress for Zendaya to wear to the Grammy Awards.
The publicist argued that the high price point of the dress didn’t align with Zendaya’s marketability to wealthier consumers. However, Roach persisted, and after Zendaya wore the dress, the creative director of Ungaro invited her to The Met Gala for the first time.
