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THE RUNDOWN
- Zendaya has made a return to the Emmys red carpet wearing a custom Prada gown and jewellery from Mikimoto’s Pearl Collection.
- This is the first time Zendaya has attended the Emmys in four years.
- In 2022, she made history as the youngest person to win twice in an acting category and the first black actress to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series twice.
In life, there are many things you simply cannot predict. Zendaya landing on the best-dressed list at the 2026 Emmy Awards, however, was practically set in stone the minute NBC announced she was on the guest list.
The Euphoria star stepped onto the Emmy Awards red carpet looking radiant in a crystal-embellished custom Prada gown with a plunging V-neckline, styled by none other than her longtime friend and stylist, Law Roach.
She let the dress do most of the talking, keeping her accessories minimal with pearls from Mikimoto’s Petals Collection. Her Les Pétales Place Vendôme earrings featured 12mm White South Sea cultured pearls framed by 4.40 carats of diamonds.
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Zendaya complemented the earrings with two rings from the same collection: one centred around a 13mm White South Sea cultured pearl and 3.42 carats of diamonds, and another featuring a 12mm pearl and 1.84 carats of diamonds. On her wrist, she wore a coordinating diamond and Akoya cultured pearl bracelet.
“I loved the idea of taking something as timeless as Mikimoto pearls and making them feel fresh, modern and young,” Roach said of Zendaya’s jewellery in a press release. “There’s an elegance to pearls that will always be classic, but the way Zendaya wears them tonight feels completely of the moment.”
The only thing that shone brighter than the dress itself was the huge rock she was sporting on her finger, her engagement ring courtesy of husband, actor Tom Holland.
It’s no surprise Zendaya made such a grand entrance. After all, she is a three-time nominee for her role as Rue Bennett in Sam Levinson’s Euphoria. Her character is worlds apart from who she is in real life, and perhaps that is what makes her performance so magnetic.
This year, Zendaya is nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series and will also take to the stage as a presenter, joining stars including Amy Poehler, Macaulay Culkin and Keke Palmer.
Zendaya’s makeup artist, Ernesto Casillas, kept her beauty look bronzed and radiant, brushing subtle highlighter across her cheekbones and shoulders. There’s always a twist when Zendaya hits the red carpet and for the Emmys it was her new pixie cut, worn textured and tousled and proving once again that she can pull off any look.
Zendaya has a special relationship with the Emmys. The last time she attended was in 2022; she stepped onto the red carpet in an extravagant black Valentino ball gown. Later that evening, she made history twice, the first time as the youngest person to win twice in an acting category and second as the first Black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series twice.
Accepting the award for her portrayal of Rue, Zendaya said her greatest wish for Euphoria was that the series could help heal people. She also thanked viewers who had shared their own experiences with addiction and told her they connected with the character, adding that she carried their stories with her.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who has shared their story with me. I want you to know that anyone who has loved a Rue or feels like they are a Rue, I want you to know I’m so grateful for your stories and I carry them with me, and I carry them with her.”
Her return to the Emmys four years later feels significant for more than sartorial reasons. Zendaya is once again being recognised for a role that has defined a major chapter of her career, while reminding us that her red-carpet appearances are events in their own right. Whether or not she takes home another trophy, when Zendaya and Law Roach arrive on a red carpet, a fashion win is all but guaranteed.
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