THE ODYSSEY PRESS TOUR: Zendaya and Lupita Nyong’o Fashion/Style.

As the cast made their way through The Odyssey global press tour, fashion has become another way of entering the world of the film and the Black stars, Zendaya and Lupita Nyong’o, are making particularly memorable statements.

By Oluwaseun Mary

Lupita Nyong’o as Clytemnestra in The Odyssey | Lupita Nyong’o attends the world premiere of “The Odyssey” at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on July 06, 2026. Karwai Tang/WireImage

Lupita Nyong'o: The Goddess in Different Forms

Across the press tour, Lupita has moved between romance, drama, sensuality and full goddess energy, showing just how many ways the mythology can be interpreted through fashion.

One appearance saw her in custom Armani Privé for the Paris Tour, continuing the elegant, high-fashion direction she has maintained throughout the tour. The couture gave her the kind of regal presence that feels perfectly at home in a film populated by gods, queens and epic journeys.

Then came Elie Saab Couture, where Lupita leaned into something softer and more ethereal. The intricate detailing and feminine silhouette referenced the romantic side of mythology without becoming overly literal.

For another appearance, she stepped out in feather-trimmed LaPointe, bringing texture and movement into the mix. The look felt theatrical and powerful, but still distinctly contemporary.

Then she went full goddess for the New York premiere in a gown from Nicholas Oakwell Couture's Spring/Summer 2026 “Goddess” collection.

At the London photocall, she switched things up completely in a Chanel Resort 2027 look. A simple but chic black-and-white deep V-neck dress with a dramatic thigh-high slit. This look was sharper, more sensual and maybe much less literal.

And that contrast is exactly what makes Lupita's fashion story interesting. Not every look needs an obvious connection to ancient Greece. Sometimes the mythology is in the confidence, femininity and power of the woman wearing it.

For the world premiere in London, she returned to something more ethereal in a sheer, crystal-embellished gown from Christian Cowan's Autumn/Winter 2026 collection. The crystals looked an almost celestial quality, while the transparency and silhouette created the kind of otherworldly effect that fits naturally into the world of The Odyssey.

Zendaya: Dressing the Goddess 

Zendaya's The Odyssey press tour has felt almost like a continuation of her character's world, beginning with the debut of her short hair, a striking new chapter in her beauty and style evolution.

The cropped look has given her recent appearances a sharper, more sculptural quality, pairing naturally with the goddess-inspired dressing she has embraced throughout the tour.

Zendaya started her tour in London with a look inspired by her character, immediately establishing the visual direction of her appearances. Rather than treating the photocall as just another promotional stop, the look introduced the idea that Athena would follow her off-screen at least through fashion.

The aesthetic in a flowing white Jacquemus dress paired with gladiator sandals is definitely Zendaya’s character. The simplicity of the look worked beautifully. The flowing silhouette and sandals referenced classical Greece without turning Zendaya into a literal Greek costume.

This look for the Paris premiere is everything dramatic, which made the mythology even more dramatic. Zendaya wore a custom white Louis Vuitton gown with a matching bolero, bringing a sense of grandeur to the goddess-inspired wardrobe she had been building throughout the tour.

But then, one of the most striking fashion moments came when she stepped out in archival Givenchy from the Spring/Summer 1997 Haute Couture collection, paired with a gold mask by Philip Treacy.

The gold mask immediately brings to mind ancient sculpture and mythology, while the archival Givenchy places the look firmly within fashion history. It is a combination that feels theatrical without being costume-like.

Zendaya's looks all together feel character-driven. Her fashion repeatedly points us back to Athena from the white gowns, gladiator sandals, gold details, sculptural silhouettes and even a mask. There is a clear attempt to extend the character beyond the film itself. 

What makes Zendaya and Lupita's press tour style so compelling is that neither actress is approaching the theme in the same way. 

With The Odyssey, the stakes are particularly high. This is a story that has survived for thousands of years, passed from generation to generation and constantly reinvented itself.

So it feels fitting that its stars are doing the same thing with fashion.