"This is a bad idea. Like, why did I do this?"
Back in February, Zendaya and her stylist, Law Roach, managed not only to get a 1995 Thierry Mugler robot suit out of the archives, but they managed to fit the actress into the couture creation. Today, in a video released by Vogue, the actress reflected on the iconic moment, which was part of her Dune: Part Two fashion extravaganza, as she promoted her new film, Challengers. Zendaya told the publication that while we were all in complete shock and mesmerized by the moment, she was about to pass out.
Zendaya noted that the suit is constructed of actual metal, making for a toasty situation under the spotlights. Plus, she had to wear a full-body undergarment, so that only added to the high temps she was enduring.
“Immediately, I think after wearing it for like 10 minutes or less than that, I got really lightheaded,” she said. “The metal conducts and holds onto heat very quickly and kind of traps heat in. I'm wearing a complete bodysuit, so there's a barrier, so you already have a layer of material kind of on your skin.”
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She also said that she started to feel a little hesitant as the big moment got inched closer on her calendar.
“As the days were coming up, I was like, ‘This is a bad idea. Like why did I do this?' But I put it on, I went out there, and I did it,” she continued. After serving up an unforgettable fashion moment, she changed into a long black dress.
Zendaya also explained exactly how the moment went down, noting that it was her idea and that Roach wasn't sure that she was even serious about it.
"This suit, everybody knows it. And I was like, ‘I wonder if I could wear that,’” she said. “And so I sent it to [stylist Law Roach] and I was like, ‘What if we wore this for the premiere?’ He was like, ‘Are you being serious? … Don't play with me. Like, don't get me started on something and make me do this, and you're gonna like chicken out at the last minute, and be too scared to wear it.’ And I was like, ‘I mean, if we can do it.’”
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Thankfully, she was in good hands. One of the original men behind the Mugler creation was still working at the fashion house and made sure everything was picture-perfect.
“One of the men who originally made it was with us and he was like, ‘You know, we can try it, but there's also a world where certain parts won't fit,’” she finished. “We tried it on … It fit like a glove, and I was like, ‘This is so crazy.’ And everybody was like, ‘Oh!’ It just felt very meant to be.”