Zendaya’s stunning Spider-Man premiere look and her fashion evolution from Disney child star to style icon who turns heads at the Met Gala, Oscars and elsewhere

Zendaya started her career in 2010 with Disney’s Shake It Up. By 2013, the actress and singer was wearing designer gowns to red carpets. These days, Zendaya isn’t afraid to wear costumes, bold colours or unexpected shapes.

She jumped into the spotlight at the age of 14 in 2010. At a movie premiere that year, she wore a layered look: cut-off shorts, three shirts and a hat.

Zendaya wore a blue dress for the 2011 Teen Vogue Hollywood Party. At this point, the teenager was still finding her style.

In 2012, the actress wore a floor-length, blush gown to the NAACP Image Awards.

Then 15, Zendaya was nominated for best performance by a youth in a television programme at the event.

Her red-carpet appearance marked the beginning of Zendaya’s transition from child star to bona fide actress and style icon.

She made one of her first bold fashion choices in 2012 with this gold maxi skirt.

She chose the gold, pleated Reem Acra skirt and white button-down shirt for the Teen Vogue Hollywood Party.

The following year, Zendaya wore an all-white Donna Karan look to the red carpet. She wore the outfit to the American Music Awards.

At a 2013 book-signing event, Zendaya chose a bold print by Etro while promoting her book, Between U and Me: How to Rock Your Tween Years with Style and Confidence, in New York City.

In 2014, Zendaya showed up to the BET Awards in a memorable look accessorised with a baseball cap.

At the 2014 American Music Awards, Zendaya said: “I didn’t go the shy route today.”

She wore a metallic trench coat and pants by Georgine.

“I like to have fun at these award shows, just fun with fashion in general,” she added during an interview with Billboard on the red carpet. “It’s not something to be afraid of.”

The actress debuted a pixie cut at the Grammys in 2015.

“I’ve always wanted to cut my hair and it’s one of those things that I’ve always told my fans,” she told ET on the red carpet. “I didn’t really cut my hair, so don’t freak out. But I had to try it. I had to at least feel it out, you know what I’m saying? Try it on for size.”

She wore a Vivienne Westwood gown to the event.

Just days later, she chose another Vivienne Westwood gown for the Oscars and wore her hair in dreadlocks.

That same year, Zendaya showed up to the Met Gala wearing a long red skirt that Vogue called “beautiful”. The Met Gala was themed China: Through the Looking Glass, and Zendaya wore this Fausto Puglisi gown.

Zendaya broke all barriers and channelled her inner David Bowie for the 2016 Grammy Awards.

She turned heads with this bold butterfly look at The Greatest Showman premiere in 2017.

The look confirmed Zendaya isn’t afraid to think outside the box.

For the 2018 Met Gala, she blended fashion with costuming. For the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme of the night, Zendaya decided to dress up as Joan of Arc.

Zendaya leaned into costuming again for the 2019 Met Gala. For the theme Camp: Notes on Fashion, Zendaya dressed as Cinderella, and her gown lit up.

Zendaya channelled Old Hollywood glamour in a green Vera Wang gown with a thigh-high split at the 2019 Emmy Awards.

By 2020, Zendaya was at the top of her fashion game. She wowed with this pink, metallic look by Tom Ford at the Critics’ Choice Awards.

She wore another jaw-dropping look for the 2021 Academy Awards. The bright yellow dress was custom Valentino, and she paired it with Bulgari jewellery and Jimmy Choo heels.

In fact, she’s worn multiple daring looks this year.

Another stand-out look was this custom Balmain dress at the Venice Film Festival.

Most recently, she wore a jaw-dropping dress to an event that some call “her best look yet”.

In December, Zendaya attended the Ballon d’Or, an annual ceremony in Paris, wearing a Roberto Cavalli gown with a gold spinal replica on her back.

Harper’s Bazaar said the “vintage skeleton dress is her best look yet”.

For the premiere of Spider-Man: No Way Home in Los Angeles on December 13 Zendaya collaborated with Valentino for a custom-made spider-web column gown accessorised with a matching mask.