Zendaya arrived in her usual whirlwind of style, grace and freshness at the 93rd Acadamy Awards on Sunday in a custom Valentino couture and, of course, dripping with Bulgari diamonds (valued at over $6 million). The color of the dress, a unique canary yellow, is inspired by a multitude of references. Longtime Zendaya stylist Law Roach said the yellow diamond in the ring she wore to the ceremony was “the piece that started it all.” Since joining the jewelry brand in early 2020 as a Global Ambassador, Zendaya has made her choice of diamonds, including a major necklace on her ELLE cover.
For the Oscars, Law Roach took inspiration from the high jewelry brand’s fun, wearable pieces, saying that “the great part of Bulgari is you can wear it your way.” The four pieces she and Law chose complemented her dress perfectly and made everyone on Instagram see yellow.
Exclusive to ELLE, Law Roach explains how he and Zendaya constantly join forces to create magic together on the red carpet. We also caught up with Roach between shoots and fittings to get details on creating this year’s instantly iconic Oscar moment.
When selecting Zendaya jewelry, which comes first, the dress or the jewelry?
The creativity for this look was all about the jewelry. The jewelry took the look to the next step.
Modern or vintage jewelry?
Both. Bulgari has such a timeless feel, but their pieces let you play in a new and modern way.
Was there any specific inspiration for her look ahead of this year’s awards?
The inspiration was the jewel itself.
How do you select the brands / looks that suit each ceremony?
It is a collaborative effort. Zendaya trusts me to bring her looks for every ceremony, and we choose based on what makes her feel best.
