Throughout the entire Challengers press tour thus far, Zendaya and stylist Law Roach have been on a serious tennis kick—embracing sporty looks as a way to nod back to the film. Did you catch her Loewe tennis ball heels? Or her striped Vivienne Westwood vest and mini skirt? Both smash hits! For her latest look, however, Zendaya switched things up with an unexpected ballgown moment. Designed by Carolina Herrera, her striped, full-skirted formal design—which debuted on Instagram just moments ago—is actually a recreation of garments first worn in a ’90s issue of Vogue by two iconic tennis pros.
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. “[The original image] remains one of my favorite images to this day,” Gordon tells Vogue. 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.
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.