Zendaya's Lace Louis Vuitton Dress at 'The Odyssey' Paris Premiere Took 800 Hours to Make
A surprisingly angelic look for the film's goddess of war.
Raise your hand if The Odyssey was on your school-mandated reading list. If so, you might remember that Athena, the goddess of war, never gets married. Yet, stylist Law Roach gave a wedding-worthy dress a starring role in Zendaya's The Odyssey press tour. On July 8, the star wore an angelic lace Louis Vuitton gown for the Paris premiere.
Ahead of the film's theatrical release, Zendaya wore custom Jacquemus in London; fresh-from-the-runway Schiaparelli Couture; 28-year-old Givenchy by Alexander McQueen; and now, custom Louis Vuitton in Paris. What does every one of these looks have in common? They're all white.
Zendaya arrived at The Odyssey premiere in Paris wearing a bridal-white Louis Vuitton dress.
She reserved her most bridal-looking dress for the City of Love on Wednesday. Instead of armoring herself in a breastplate or a helmet-like mask, she wore a romantic white lace look with a plunge neckline, keyhole cut-out, and carpet-sweeping skirt.
Zendaya's Louis Vuitton gown is even more angelic up close.
While the look may appear as the antithesis of the goddess of war, it's not completely out of line with the plot. In Homer's epic poem, Athena is often depicted as the guardian angel of Odysseus, guiding and protecting him and his son, Telemachus (played by Z's husband, Tom Holland). It seems Louis Vuitton leaned into the protector side of the character.
Louis Vuitton sculpted the lace gown just for Zendaya.
The gown's scalloped skirt, elongated train, and hip-high slit looked effortlessly divine. However, according to the press release from Louis Vuitton, "more than 800 hours of work were dedicated to creating this piece."
The look took 800 hours to create.
A voluminous, frilly lace bolero topped the strap bodice, with layers of lace expanding around her back, petticoat-style and framing the Emmy winner's profile. If Zendaya's wedding dress was anything like her latest Louis Vuitton look, she certainly made Holland shed a tear or two.
For the finishing touch, Louis Vuitton shade-matched the dress's cream-colored satin to pointy stilettos. According to Roach, the sapphire-encrusted necklace was on loan from Messika, a French jeweler, whom she wore during The Drama press tour.
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Even the back of Zendaya's Louis Vuitton dress featured bridal-white lace.
Speaking of which, Zendaya was no stranger to bridal-adjacent looks while promoting The Drama, which follows events surrounding a wedding.
Last March, she looked every bit a newlywed in a lace skirt set from Ermanno Scervino Pre-Fall 2026, matching coat, and Christian Louboutin "So Kate" pumps that we've come to associate with the star. Days later, she visited The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in a lacy "something blue" look from Zimmermann.
Earlier this year, Zendaya styled white lace while promoting The Drama.
Would Zendaya's Louis Vuitton gown blend in with the war-filled world of The Odyssey? The jury's still out on that. With its delicate white lace, it is, however, keeping fans on their toes and reminding them that Zendaya and Law Roach are impossible to predict. So, stop trying and just enjoy The Odyssey ride.

Meguire Hennes is the fashion staff writer at Marie Claire, where she breaks down the celebrity looks living rent-free in her head (and yours). Whether a star is walking the red carpet or posing on Instagram, Meguire will tell you who they're wearing and why. When she's not gushing about A-listers from J.Law to Rihanna, Meguire also covers breaking industry news.
Previously, Meguire was the fashion news writer at The Zoe Report. She received a bachelor's degree in fashion studies at Montclair State University, and has freelanced at Bustle, Women's Health, Well+Good, and more. You can find her words across the fashion, beauty, health, and wellness verticals, because her Libra moon wouldn't let her settle on one beat. Follow her on Instagram for BTS moments from her Marie Claire era.