Grace Jones Rocks Zendaya Show As Valentino Gets Ovation

Whoops from the audience erupted as disco icon Grace Jones, wearing a shimmering peaked-shoulder tuxedo, thigh-high boots and leotard — danced out.

PARIS (AP) — A one-off itinerant extravaganza courtesy of American designer Tommy Hilfiger’s “buy-now” collaboration with actress-singer Zendaya gave Paris Fashion Week a case of Saturday night fever. On Sunday, Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli yet again received a standing ovation, and Thom Browne blurred the gender lines.

American actress and singer Zendaya, 22, became the latest in a long line of celebrities to try their hand at fashion design in Paris.


The “Spider-Man: Homecoming” star spoke to The Associated Press about receiving a phone call from Hilfiger to discuss a collaboration.

“I got a call from Tommy Hilfiger himself, which was pretty crazy. I was not expecting that,” she said.

Hilfiger gave her, she said, full control of the designs, which drew inspiration from “iconic women” of the late-1970s and early-1980s.

Showing deep industry knowledge, Zendaya also referenced the famous “Battle of Versailles” fashion show held in in 1973 at France’s Palace of Versailles. It pitted American designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Stephen Burrows against French designers Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin and Hubert de Givenchy.

One of the models who walked in the 1973 Versailles show, Pat Cleveland, modeled for Zendaya. Cleveland often is described as the world’s first black supermodel.

The show celebrated diversity and was, in terms of sheer energy, unlike any other so far this season. Dozens of dancers on roller skates boogied amid flashing lights to greatest hits from the 1970s.

This fashion show was all about the show.

Whoops from the audience erupted as disco icon Grace Jones, wearing a shimmering peaked-shoulder tuxedo, thigh-high boots and leotard — danced out.

The show’s finale track, “We Are Family”, had even fashion insiders with perpetually pursed lips singing along.