I despise fashion designers’ all-white photocall backdrops. Those all-white backdrops make every celebrity look like they’re in some kind of hospital. It doesn’t look high-fashion, it looks clinical. Anyway, here are some photos of Zendaya at yesterday’s Louis Vuitton show. Zendaya has been trying to be quiet and less visible when she’s not promoting one of her films this year, but she’s still got to honor her contracts. She’s a LV brand ambassador and this is why they pay her the big bucks. You’d think that Nicolas Ghesquière would have given Zendaya the best look of the collection, but not so much. Instead, she got a pair of jeans, a tank top and a lacy, frilly jacket. This look is soooo ‘90s to me, anyone else? It’s very 1998-2002-coded. Even Zendaya’s little pixie cut feels ‘90s to me, like “Toni Braxton inspo.” Unbreak my heart!!!
I’ll cover some of the other LV-show attendees separately, but I wanted to talk about this viral moment with Zendaya before the runway show started. Zendaya was in her front row seat, on time, like a true Virgo. She was actually sitting there while other people were finding their seats, and of course various people came over to her and said hello. One of those people? France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron. Zendaya greeted her with a polite handshake and a “nice to meet you.” The problem? Zendaya didn’t stand up. She remained seated. Which… I mean, yeah, Zendaya probably should have stood. But I’d be interested in knowing if Zendaya even knew who Brigitte Macron is, and I’d also like to know if the show was just about to start. Zendaya might have thought “I’m just going to stay in my seat because the show is about to start.”
Zendaya girl…. you gotta get up when the First Lady of France is trying to say hello to you 😭😭😭😭😭 https://t.co/YoJs70NCiN
— Louis Pisano (@LouisPisano) October 6, 2026
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
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- Paris, FRANCE Celebrities pose at the photocall for the Louis Vuitton Women’s Spring/Summer 2027 Ready-To-Wear collection during Paris Fashion Week at the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris. Pictured: Zendaya BACKGRID USA 6 OCTOBER 2026 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE Celebrities pose at the photocall for the Louis Vuitton Women’s Spring/Summer 2027 Ready-To-Wear collection during Paris Fashion Week at the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris. Pictured: Zendaya BACKGRID USA 6 OCTOBER 2026 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE Celebrities arrive for the Louis Vuitton Womenswear Spring Summer 2027 show during Paris Fashion Week. Pictured: Zendaya BACKGRID USA 7 OCTOBER 2026 BYLINE MUST READ: DPTIG / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE Celebrities arrive for the Louis Vuitton Womenswear Spring Summer 2027 show during Paris Fashion Week. Pictured: Zendaya BACKGRID USA 7 OCTOBER 2026 BYLINE MUST READ: DPTIG / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
I may be entirely antiquated but I was always taught that men stand to shake hands but women may remain seated. It’s a gender thing. I know, it’s …anachronistic. But, not rude. Just, not formal. I mean. Best to get up, all the same, but I doubt she knew who Brigitte Macron was.
Same. And it was fine. Z isn’t a diplomat. Plus that seemed like a really informal exchange. You stand if it’s a state event. Not a fashion show swimming with huge names.
Same. So I don’t think Zendaya was rude. A well-intended exception to the rule might have been perceived by Macron as unintentionally insulting: a much younger woman might stand when greeting a MUCH older woman, or even a MUCH older man. While it is hyper- polite — many people being greeted in such a way might not be thrilled to be publicly treated as an elderly relic.
This…
Also, I don’t know how it works in France, but in many countries the spouse of a leader has no official position and you don’t need to follow any protocol.
It was Brigitte Macron being introduced by Bernard Arnault to Zendaya.
I guess she does not stand for anyone, I respect that. It just cannot be said that Zendaya did not know that Brigitte was someone important.
No one should stand for Brigitte Macron, she is a predator (she was 40 years old when she met and started a relationship with Emmanuel Macron 15 at the time).
And the French governement is violently repressing the students right now so, good on Zendaya for not standing up even if she probably didn’t have a clue about all of this.
Yeah I’m sorry but I cannot care less whether Z stood for Brigitte or not.
Yeah, @FrenchRevolutionnary, as the mother of a child who just turned 15, I am gobsmacked at the fact that she still does not get flack for this. I mean… the past ten years have moved the needle in public consciousness, corporate HR policy, and politics, but the law is the last to catch up. Brigitte was definitely violating her ethical duty of care to a student at her school, her profession’s code of conduct, and possibly the law to boot. And yet… no one cares.
all the footage i’ve seen from france the last few days are disgusting. it’s insane to me the country is burning and the first lady is sitting on the front row of a fashion show. no shame at all smh
Hear, hear! When I read that his parents sent him to another school to get him away from her and she actually followed him I was stunned. Instead of being transphobic that dummy Candace Owen should have made that her focus on B. Macron.
100%
Candace Owen is an idiot and a conspiracy theorist. Briggitte Macron grooming her husband as a teenager is no conspiracy theory so it’s not in Owen’s wheelhouse. But I agree with everyone here that no one should stand to greet this creepy “first lady”. And, least of all Zendaya. Btw, she would look gorgeous in a potato sack.
Exactly what I was about to write! Spot on, fellow French!
Can I identify Brigitte Macron in a contextual photo/situation? Yes. Would I recognize her in enough time to observe whatever protocol required in an unplanned out-of-context pop-in greeting? Very likely not. I wouldn’t mind having a lot more money but I’d absolutely loathe being famous.
So much this. And if she had stood it would have looked like an afterthought. I’m sure Z can stand gracefully on a second’s notice but I would have awkwardly wobbled for sure.
I hate her outfit. That’s all I got.
She probably hated it too. And yet she was there on time, just humbly sitting there and wait while everyone is seated. Smiles kindly, makes small talk shakes hands when requested. Well “Damn.”
She was probably wondering who’s this woman with the bad weave.
If you watch the video there is several different people trying to get Zendaya’s attention and she’s politely trying to greet everyone quickly. Also, Bridgette shook her hand and immediately turned to sit down, so did the manners crowd want one woman to stand up as another was sitting down?
I was taught, generally speaking, that you stand when you are introduced to someone for the first time. I have no idea if Zendaya knew who she was, but not standing strikes me as a bit rude. I don’t think Zendaya didn’t stand because of Macron’s relationship with her husband as a boy or anything like – I just feel like she didn’t stand because she didn’t want to. I dont think it was any kind of statement.
either way, meh, not a huge deal.
Same! Exactly how I was taught, just a mark of respect for that person. But given who it is then I’m not fussed. I wouldn’t stand for a predator either.
But it depends on context, too. Sometimes the person is close enough that it would be awkward to stand, i.e., standing would cause the other person to have to step back.
Zendaya always look good but I actually think her pixie is a little too short for her — the length she had when it was basically a micro bob was really good. Also LV has to be giving her A TON of money because that outfit is a mess.
Why make this about Zendaya’s encounter with Macron? Keep the fashion articles about the fashion!!
I actually really love the frilly coat thingy but the more I look at the jeans the more I think they’re poorly cut to unflatter even someone with mile long legs like Z
I couldn’t care less about her standing for that woman. She was pleasant and spoke to her. That’s enough. Brigitte Macron is no more important than anyone else. I love the jacket – and I get the distinct impression that Z wasn’t interested in a huge over the top look. She’s done that more months while on her promotional tours.
I love all things etiquette but the absolute stupidest part is the stuff about unspoken status dynamics and the jockying for power that people are constantly doing at events. Those various “rules” are conveniently brought up any time someone below a certain class is perceived to have broken them.
Zendaya is at the show to perform a function for the brand. Multiple people were greeting her at the same time and she was being perfectly polite to all of them in the same way. That’s what égalité looks like, y’all.
EXACTLY. Though let’s be real- the French only believe in egalite in THEORY. They are just as classist and the British.
My preteen wants to be an Angel for H’ween. I was searching for a more high fashion inspo look just to get her wheels turning and came across two pics of Z in angel ‘looks’ about 12 years apart? She did nothing wrong with her greeting and if mrs macron had a problem with it I think she should check herself.
Right? That’s Zendaya, y’all. She’s the first lady of Hollywood. And not because of who she married.
This wasn’t a formal introduction — it was more like if somebody introduces themselves because they are sitting at your table at a wedding. Nobody stands for that!
Zendaya wasn’t being rude in the slightest. She was, in fact, really cordial to someone who clearly wanted to meet Z because Z is famous and sought-after.
I hope if people are making Zendaya feel bad about this exchange that someone clues her in about Macron’s gross and predatory pursuit of Emmanuel.
I think the pixie is perfect with the big floofy top. If there was more hair, where would it go?
Zendaya being Zendaya, it’s perfect. Could I pull it off? Oh hell no. But she’s adorable! Again, haha.
I love the whole look! I guess I’m now at the point in life where retro and vintage looks are going to start feeling very familiar. I had some similar — budget version— outfits in my NYC school days.
I say normalize not standing for politicians at home or abroad unless you genuinely feel moved by personal respect. The phony “respect the office” mentality gives them social cover most of them don’t deserve. The people pay for them.
Good for Zendaya. She either didn’t know her, or didn’t care to know her: a glorified groomer is what she is. An ovation for Z staying seated.
Who cares.
Maybe Zendaya didn’t want to get slapped in her gorgeous face.