‘I Still Have All the Receipts' : Zendaya’s...

Zendaya and fashion may have become synonymous throughout the years, but according to her stylist, she hasn’t always been the go-to-girl for big brands looking to showcase their designs

Published Time: 11.05.2024 - 01:31:04 Modified Time: 11.05.2024 - 01:31:04

Zendaya and fashion may have become synonymous throughout the years, but according to her stylist, she hasn’t always been the go-to-girl for big brands looking to showcase their designs.

In an interview with The Cutting Room Floor shared on Patreon Thursday, May 9, the actress’ long-time collaborator, Law Roach, said it was a challenge to get certain luxury fashion houses to work with the Challengers star, 27.

“I would write the big five. I would write Saint Laurent, Chanel, Gucci, Valentino, Dior, and they would all say, ‘No, try again next year. She’s too green,’” Roach, 45, said during the interview.

The episode was filmed on April 22 — two weeks before the Dune star walked the red carpet at the 2024 Met Gala, where she also served as a co-chair for the event.

For the “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” theme, Zendaya wore a gown by Maison Margiela’s John Galliano.

According to Roach, he kept “all the receipts” from the “big five” who had previously turned his client down.

“By the time she had got to American Vogue, she still had never wore any of those designers — she still hasn’t,” he said.

The host seemed surprised by his confession, so Roach explained a bit further.

“In an editorial, yes. But on a red carpet, she still has never worn Dior on a carpet. She still has -

Everything to Know About the Red, White ,...

never worn Chanel on a carpet. She has still never worn Gucci on a carpet. Any press, any appearance, never,” Roach said.

“The first time she wore Valentino in public is when she had a contract,” he added of Zendaya.

He continued, “So when I said, ‘If you say no, it’ll be a no forever,’ that rang true for a long, long time.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Earlier in the interview, Roach was asked about his confidence and he credited Zendaya for helping him find his voice early in his own career.

“She was always the one advocating for me and making sure I was in these rooms that people thought I didn’t belong in. Even as a young girl, I’m talking about 16, 17 years old,” he said.

“We’ve sat in boardrooms with clients and companies and CEOs and they would try to make me invisible and she would say, ‘Law has something to say,’ or someone would try to talk around me and she’s like, ‘Oh, well he just asked you a question,’ and it was like those small, little things that always when someone would try to take the power, she would hand it right back to me.”