No, Zendaya Didn’t Do Law Roach Dirty During That Viral Fashion Show Moment. He Explains What Happened

Zendaya and Law Roach
(Image credit: Sony Pictures Releasing/HBO Max)

Law Roach shocked the public this past week when he confirmed that he was retiring from his post as a celebrity stylist. The influential Hollywood figure explained that he’d opted to leave the business after getting tired of the “the lies, the politics and false narratives.” The 44-year-old fashion guru has worked with a number of A-listers over the years, with his most prominent client being fan-favorite actress Zendaya. Shortly after he announced his retirement, a clip of Roach and the actress went viral and rubbed some fans the wrong way. Now, Roach has confirmed that the star didn’t actually do him dirty and shed some light on what actually happened. 

The clip in question was from Louis Vuitton's Paris Fashion Week show, which took place earlier this month. In the video, Law Roach and Zendaya arrived at the event, with the latter rushing to a front-row seat. Roach, however, seemingly couldn’t find a spot right away and began to look for a place. Many were quick to assume that the awkward moment contributed to the stylist’s decision to call it a career. But as he explained to The Cut, that isn’t the case, and the situation was actually caused by confusion as opposed to haughtiness. The moment was also exacerbated by the fact that they were already in a hurry:

And so what happened was — we have to remember that we just came from a house where she was the only face, the only ambassador. Even for years, like, I’m always used to sitting next to her. And so, in my mind, my seat was next to her. So when I got there and it wasn’t, you know, it wasn’t a problem, but there was nobody to tell me where my actual seat was. And so the seat behind her, when you see her turn around and touch the seat, it wasn’t her telling me to sit there, it was her telling me like, ’That’s Darnell’s seat,’ which is her assistant. I’m not gonna sit in Darnell’s seat. So then where does he go?

Based on these comments, it’s clear that the Dune actress had nothing to do with the mix-up. On top of that, she wasn’t arrogantly trying to direct her stylist to a seat. The former Legendary judge does still seem to be disappointed with how the sequence of events played out, though. He recalled himself becoming very anxious as he tried to figure out what his next move would be: 

And so I was standing there — I was really just kind of confused. And remember, we had just made a mad dash to get there, so it’s anxiety, like, you sweating. I got this suit on, the hair, and we hot, you know, I was trying to make it. And so that’s what this thing was, because I’m programmed. I’m coming from a house where I know where my seat is, right? It’s right next to her, and it’s always right next to her, because that’s part of our relationship and our interaction, seeing the clothes together. And you know, the little cues, and little such, like, that’s the look. You know, and so when that didn’t happen, it just … And somebody was like, ‘Law, you have to sit,’ and I was like, ‘I don’t know where I’m sitting.’ That became really tough, because it made people think that Zendaya wasn’t taking care of me and wasn’t making sure I was taken care of.

It is unfortunate that Law Roach had to experience such a cringeworthy moment and even sadder that he doesn’t feel as though he was adequately supported. Nevertheless, many will probably be happy to know that there’s no bad blood between him and Zendaya. Roach spoke about their relationship last summer, calling it the “ultimate collaboration” while gushing about the trust that they have in one another. And that working relationship has yielded some very impressive looks.

Zendaya has firmly solidified herself as a fashion staple within the Hollywood sphere. Named one of the most fashionable celebrities of 2022, she’s sported a plethora of sizzling hot outfits. Not to mention the fact that she’s even sported millions of dollars worth of bling at some points. Considering how her stylist has hooked her up in the past, it’s hard to imagine that she’d ever seek to do him dirty.

One would hope that Law Roach maintains a relationship with his friend and colleague as time goes. It’ll also be interesting to see what Roach chooses to do next. He’s become very revered in the fashion industry, and it’s hard to imagine him not doing anything in the business at some point down the road. 

While you await movement on that front, you can get in on Zendaya’s fashion by reading up on what you should wear if you’re obsessed with her looks.

Erik Swann
Senior Content Producer

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.