Zendaya’s fashion choices rarely go unnoticed, but her latest red carpet moment has done more than turn heads. It has opened a debate about cultural heritage, artifact ownership and the responsibility that comes with celebrity influence.
The actress appeared at a London photocall for The Odyssey wearing an ensemble that quickly became a talking point, not for its elegance, but for one specific accessory tied to ancient history.
The look that started it all
Zendaya wore an off white halter gown by Jacquemus, featuring a plunging back and detailed embroidery. She paired the dress with a matching headscarf and a set of gold medallion earrings inspired by ancient Iranian design. Many observers compared the overall aesthetic to Cleopatra, praising the regal styling. The earrings, however, drew a different kind of attention.
What the earrings actually are
According to jewelry dealer Barron London, the earrings are Ziwiye gold medallion plaques dating to the first millennium B.C., making them roughly 3,000 years old. The Ziwiye hoard, discovered in Iran, has long been a subject of archaeological debate due to unclear details about how the items left their country of origin. Experts say pieces from this collection have circulated through private markets for decades, often without documentation showing a legal chain of ownership.
Experts raise concerns
Macquarie University associate professor Peter Edwell said the earrings murky provenance suggests they may have been removed from Iran without authorization. He noted that artifact smuggling has historically been connected to organized crime networks, particularly for objects lacking clear export records. Timing added another layer to the controversy, as the accessory choice came amid heightened tension between the United States and Iran, making the display of Iranian antiquities feel especially fraught to some observers.
A pattern in celebrity fashion
Zendaya is far from the first public figure to face criticism over cultural appropriation in fashion. In the late 1990s, Madonna was criticized for incorporating Indian inspired imagery into her performances without crediting or fully engaging with the culture behind it. Critics say the pattern repeats because fashion is often treated as purely aesthetic, without regard for the history or origin of the pieces involved. Zendaya’s situation adds a new dimension to that ongoing conversation, since the item in question is not a stylistic reference but reportedly a genuine ancient artifact.
A history of intentional style choices
The controversy stands out partly because Zendaya has built a reputation for thoughtful, purposeful fashion. At the 2017 InStyle Awards, she wore an Afro wig as a tribute to her family and heritage, a moment widely praised for its personal significance. That history has led some fans to express surprise that a similar level of research was not applied before this red carpet appearance. Others have defended her, noting that stylists and jewelry loans are often arranged without the wearer knowing every detail of an item’s background.
The bigger picture
The debate ultimately points to a larger issue in the fashion industry: how ancient or culturally significant items make their way onto red carpets in the first place. Stylists, jewelry houses and dealers often supply pieces without disclosing full provenance, leaving celebrities to unknowingly wear items with complicated histories. As conversations about repatriation of cultural artifacts grow louder across museums and private collections alike, moments like this one may push the industry toward greater transparency before pieces are ever placed on a public figure.
For now, neither Zendaya nor her styling team has issued a public statement addressing the earrings directly. The moment has, however, reignited a broader push for accountability in how fashion intersects with history, ownership and respect for cultural origin.
