Originally seen in the May 1998 issue of Vogue, sisters Venus and Serena Williams were the first to wear Zendaya’s black and white striped Carolina Herrera ballgown in an editorial photographed by Annie Leibovitz. At the time, the duo was quickly rising in the ranks of the tennis world. More than two decades later, Herrera designer Wes Gordon and stylist Roach teamed up to revive the classic, elegant gown for Zendaya. The dramatic silhouette remains much of the same, and in keeping with the reference, Zendaya wears her shoulder-length hair in white beads.
Photo: Ernesto Casillas
The stylish end result made for a poignant nod to two of the tennis world’s most famous figures—and was an apropos choice for the star’s Challengers tour. While some of Zendaya’s other press tour looks have been more on-the-nose in terms of their tennis inspirations, this thoughtful approach is perhaps her very best yet. With a dress that good, it was only a matter of time before it made a comeback.
This story originally appeared in Vogue.