(Photo: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
Actress Zendaya became the youngest person to win the Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion (CDFA) Icon Award at age 25.
The CDFA award, one of the most prestigious fashion honors, recognized those who take a chance with their red carpet looks. Zendaya fits the bill. At the ceremony, she wore a Vera Wang red crop top dress accentuating her sculpted frame.
In an interview with InStyle, the Oakland native reflected on the evolution of her red carpet pieces since her first premiere appearance at age 14.
“When I was 14 and at my first movie premiere, my outfit was a bunch of stuff that I had from Target. And I thought I was fly. I felt cool. To this day, I think that’s really all that matters. Then you know you’re doing the right thing,” she said.
“People who develop their own styles and aren’t afraid to do so — those are the people inspiring to me,” she said during a 2016 interview with Fashionista Magazine.
Zendaya also explained that her inspiration came from her high school days because teenagers wore what they liked and as a result set fashion trends.
“[It’s] that chic high schooler that comes to school every day dressed up and gets voted best dressed. Or the kid who… nobody really likes their style in high school, but then they grow up and end up being this [trendsetter]. Even though people didn’t “get it” when they were kids, they were just being creative,” she said.