Speaking to British Vogue, the celebrity stylist explained, “The whole look is inspired by ’90s supermodels.”
“She was actually born in 1996, so I thought that it’d be fun [for her] to wear something from that year. It’s taking her back — if Zendaya had been of age then, maybe she would have been a Versace model,” he told the publication.
“People forget that vintage is sustainable; it’s a way to reduce waste,” he noted. “And there’s always a story: who’s worn it before, who made it, what did it mean to them, where did you find it? That part of fashion has always intrigued me, and brings more life to whatever you’re wearing.”
Zendaya’s glimmering gown definitely has a story. It was first worn by Anna Klevhag (a.k.a Anna K) in the autumn/winter 1996 Versace runway show. A purple version of the design was modeled by Carla Bruni with a yellow one worn by Naomi Campbell. Kate Moss slipped into it for an ad campaign.