Zendaya wore all Black designers from head to toe for her InStyle cover — a first in the magazine's history
- InStyle's September issue with Zendaya is the first time the magazine has exclusively featured Black designers, a spokesperson for the magazine confirmed to Insider.
- The shoot was styled by Law Roach and also featured Black photographers Ahmad Barber and Donté Maurice.
- Black hair and makeup artists, Black jewelry designers, and Black shoe designers were also used for the shoot.
- Designers that were featured in the shoot included Jason Rembert, Christopher John Rogers, Anifa Mvuemba, and Kerby Jean-Raymond.
From the jewels and shoes to the photography and clothes, everything about Zendaya's InStyle cover is a celebration of Black talent.
InStyle's September issue is the first time the magazine has exclusively featured Black designers in its cover shoot, a spokesperson confirmed with Insider on Friday.
The shoot was styled by Law Roach — who has worked with Zendaya for years — and captured by the photography duo Ahmad Barber and Donté Maurice.
The designers featured include Jason Rembert, Christopher John Rogers, Anifa Mvuemba, Kerby Jean-Raymond, and Carly Cushnie, among many others.
Zendaya wore all Black designers on the historic cover
On the cover (below), Zendaya sported a red satin Aliétte dress, designed by Rembert for his 2020 fall collection, and earrings by Matthew Harris of Mateo New York.
The Emmy nominee wore a pleated Hanifa dress designed by Mvuemba for the subscriber cover (below).
Zendaya also wore a dramatic pink checkered gown by Christopher John Rogers during the shoot, as well as designs by Romeo Hunte, Thebe Magugu, and Victor Glemaud.
The star spoke about the shoot during her interview for the magazine
Speaking to Patrisse Cullors, the cofounder of the Black Lives Matter movement, Zendaya said: "I've always had a Black stylist and Black hair and makeup artists, but we were able to work with two talented young Black photographers on this shoot too."
"We're actually around the same age, so it was cool to be with my peers and have an opportunity to show what we can do," she added. "There are also so many Black designers people don't know about, so having the opportunity where they can be in InStyle and get the love they deserve is really special."
The "Euphoria" star added that she hopes the September issue will encourage people to buy from Black designers.
"I hope people are like, 'Oh, I like that dress!' and then go support them," she said.
Zendaya and Black Lives Matter cofounder Patrisse Cullors spoke at length in the issue about the movement
Speaking about the Black Lives Matter movement and ongoing protests against police brutality, Zendaya said that while she doesn't consider herself to be an activist, she wanted to use her platform to shine a spotlight on the work that people like Cullors are doing every day.
"I'm just an actress, you know? And I don't pretend to be anything other than that," she told Cullors. "If I don't know something, then I ask people who are actually on the front lines doing the work."
"I'm up in the bleachers, not on the field," she added. "So I always think, 'How can I cheer you on and be a part of something greater than myself?'"
Representatives for Zendaya did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Designers featured in the cover shoot did not comment following Insider's requests before the time of publication.
The September issue of InStyle will be available on newsstands, on Amazon, and for digital download on August 21.