The Coolest Looks Of The Week, From Zendaya To Glenn Close

Celebrities stepped out around the world this week, from New York City to London and Berlin as fashion month unfolds and Hollywood premieres gain speed.

It’s been a veritable whirlwind of looks, some more stratospherically successful than others — including Zendaya’s out-of-this-world ensemble — and we saw a totemic trio at Thom Browne and some statement-making accessories.

Anna Wintour, Janet Jackson and Queen Latifah

Talk about a holy trinity of powerful women. Anna Wintour, Janet Jackson and Queen Latifah were seated together in the front row of Thome Browne’s New York Fashion Week show. Jackson and Latifah were wearing head-to-toe looks for the designer, whose proving increasingly adept at securing and dressing successful, interesting people in equally interesting clothes. They both look sensational, and the code-twisting of American tailoring and power feels particularly potent on these two trailblazers, neither of whom has been on the cover of US Vogue yet.

Emma Corrin

If there’s one thing Corrin does so well, it’s looking cool and breezy at events, while still making a discernible effort. They clearly love fashion, and this cheerful look at a recent Cartier event demonstrates how you can dress down without looking dull or undressed. Stylist Harry Lambert has paired this simple shift (Marni) in a zesty stripe with some very fun socks — a proposition that has legs for those outfit ideas for the end of summer.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph

I love an ostentatiously 1980s silhouette, and with its single sleeve and curvaceous ruffle this frock, by New York label Mara Hoffman, is exactly that. There’s a dash of camp to it, and going big with the hair was an excellent choice — between this and Miley’s Grammys look, here’s hoping we see more volume from stars this year.

Lupita Nyong’o

Attending the Berlinale International Film Festival this week, Nyong’o chose a very elegant Boss suit (love the soothing grey and dashing 1980s-cut trousers) for a photocall as the event’s international jury president. The actor paired it with a striking headpiece made from cowrie shells — which have a lengthy history of cultural significance and meaning — an accessory she’s worn before and must love. Understandably so, she looks brilliant.

Zendaya

Sensational. An extravaganza. Totally cooked. This cyborgian Joan of Arc ensemble overrides our usual not-star-two-weeks-in-a-row rule for this column. An antidote to the dull safeness of red carpet dressing that’s more akin to shock therapy, Zendaya looks like she’s descended from the heavens, ready to pick up a sword and, dare we say it, slay. The actor is at the world premiere of Dune: Part Two in London, and as with the last film, Denis Villeneuve’s cast have been consistently sticking to the themes of the film (and Frank Herbert’s source material) for their promotional appearances.

The ensemble is, unsurprisingly, from Mugler — a house with a long heritage of mining futurism and sexuality. And this outfit comes straight from that history: it’s the original suit from 1995 — a feat of impressive access and exclusivity. Speaking of impressive, for an idiosyncraticly glamorous touch, stylist Law Roach adorned the suit with an out-of-this-world platinum, sapphire and diamond necklace from the Bulgari High Jewellery range.

Greta Gerwig

This was one of the best looks from Prada’s spring-summer 2024 collection, capturing some of that romance from the brand’s earlier years. It looks gorgeous on Greta Gerwig, just the right balance of prim and dazzle, while the perverse white pumps (always love these) with black socks strike the quirky town that’s the director’s signature.

Halima Aden

Chic and cool don’t always marry in one look, but here, model Halima Aden emanates both with aplomb. The drape of the scarf against the crisp tailored separates feels smart and elegant, while the pleated skirt over trousers is an example of savvy layering that has an adolescent edge to it — calling to mind the teenage subversion of uniforms. The outfit is Tommy Hilfiger, and she’s at the brand’s New York Fashion Week show, which was full of textbook prep and class codes.

Glenn Close

So elegant, so cool. Close is wearing Dior, fittingly, to the premiere of The New Look — a series about the wartime careers of Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Cristóbal Balenciaga and Pierre Balmain. The flare and drape of the skirt give what would have otherwise been a simple suit some flair, while the jazzy shoes and leather gloves work very well.

Jodie Turner-Smith

A jolt of style from the always impeccable actor. She’s in New York City, in Gucci, and looks incandescent.

Mark Ruffalo

While this is a simple, tasteful suit on Mark Ruffalo, his accessories carry a deeper message. The lapel pin which features peace lily motif, pins represents artists who are calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. “We’re not going to bomb our way to peace,” Ruffalo told the press as he arrived. “Were asking leaders of the world — especially President Biden — to demand a ceasefire, a lasting ceasefire, and give peace a chance.”

More on fashion

From fashion aficionados to the latest trends and trailblazers

Inside the NFL’s off-duty ‘tunnel’ fashion. What does it tells us about the business of sports and style?

This is the closest we’ll ever get to buying Princess Diana’s revenge dress. An auction of The Crown’s props and costumes is like a closing down sale of the royals.

Is it a Birkin? A Dior? A Balenciaga? It’s an MSCHF global supply chain telephone bag.

A new dawn of capital-D dressing. Vanessa Friedman looks forward to a “banger of a season”.

Edward Enninful assembles 40 ‘legendary women’ for his farewell British Vogue issue. The cover is a celebration of many names and faces who helped shape his vision.