Zendaya's outfits in Challengers are becoming a new internet obsession.
In fact, one of the pieces of clothing that the actor wears in the movie – and has also been sporting off screen (LOEWE's 'I Told Ya' T-shirt) – is already a wardrobe must-have for fans.
Directed by Luca Guadagnino and co-starring The Crown's Josh O'Connor and West Side Story's Mike Faist, the movie is a three-way power play set in the world of professional tennis. After watching the movie, which is out in cinemas now, viewers are trapped between theorising about that ambiguous ending and obsessing about Zendaya's fashion on screen.
Here we track down her best outfits and accessories as seen in the movie. Not all of them are available to buy, unfortunately, but we can offer some exciting alternatives, too.
Where to buy the 'I Told Ya' T-shirt from Challengers
In Challengers, Josh O'Connor's character Patrick wears a grey T-shirt with the words 'I Told Ya', which we later also see on Zendaya's character (while the two are involved in a relationship).
This simple design, which is featured in Challengers' promotional trailers, quickly caught the attention of viewers and it's now becoming one of the most popular clothing items from the film. Zendaya and O'Connor have also worn the t-shirt during the movie's international press tour, which has only enhanced audiences' interest in purchasing it.
You can buy the t-shirt via many digital retailers like Etsy, Amazon, Skinnydip and Teepublic.
'I Told Ya' Challengers-inspired T-shirt
These are some alternatives if you can't spend the kind of money the original T-shirt costs.
The original grey T-shirt from the movie is from LOEWE, which is quite pricey for some – it costs £225. The design is also being sold in white, and as a sweatshirt.
For those wondering what the story behind the t-shirt is, it turns out it goes beyond Challengers.
The design was inspired by John F Kennedy Jr, son of the US president John F Kennedy, who was pictured wearing it on several occasions. Anderson claimed he was inspired by JFK Jr while selecting the clothes for Patrick, Josh O'Connor's character (and the owner of the T-shirt in the movie).
"When JFK Jr. was younger, in the '80s and '90s, there was kind of an effortlessness to his wardrobe – like he could wear anything, and sex appeal would always be there," Anderson said in an interview with Women's Wear Daily.
Where to buy Zendaya's outfits in Challengers
We were expecting many tennis outfits in Challengers, but there are all sorts of clothing items throughout the movie, as Tashi Duncan goes from promising young athlete to professional tennis coach.
In the movie, fashion is also telling a story.
"We liked that people would have no sense that this would be costume design," explained the movie's costume designer Jonathan Anderson in an interview with W Magazine.
"It's just everyday wear, and it's set in the world of competitive tennis. What I was obsessed about was that in America, Americans buy the brand – it's McDonald's; it's Nike. And there are so many undercurrents in the business of being a tennis player. I liked that it's a story of how you become successful through branding," Anderson, who has been LOEWE's creative director since 2013, continued.
Adidas is the go-to brand for Tashi during the start of her tennis career.
The first time we see the character, and when Art and Patrick fall madly in love with her, she is wearing a white Adidas tennis dress.
As expected, this is not the only tennis outfit we see Zendaya wearing in Challengers.
During the course of the film, her character wears different Adidas items. While she's training, we see her wearing an Adidas sleeveless black tank top, matched with white shorts with red stripes on the side. The shorts aren't available in the exact same colourway as Tashi's, but customers can choose between six different options in the Marathon 20 range.
Love it or hate it, Challengers' official poster is one of the best of the year. In that poster, there is a clear protagonist: Zendaya's sunglasses.
In the mind-blowing final scene of the movie, Tashi is seated in the audience watching her husband Art and her former lover Patrick playing very aggressive tennis. In classic Guadagnino style, we see her putting on her sunglasses in slow motion, aware of the tension of this situation.
We've found a pretty good match for these sunglasses, in case you want them for this summer season.
Cat's Eye Sunglasses by Ralph Lauren
Beyond those sunglasses, Zendaya's outfit in that scene in Challengers is probably the best one, and it's full of amazing accessories.
It's easy to recognise Cartier's love gold bracelet, a luxury piece only available to those with deep pockets. It says a lot about the character, though, that she wears the extremely expensive piece next to a friendship bracelet, probably gifted by her little daughter. Tashi's Cartier watch also has a four-figure price tag.
Alongside the jewellery, Zendaya wears some exclusive Chanel espadrilles, which are not easy to find at the moment outside of second-hand retailers.
The white and pale blue dress, unfortunately, is not available to buy at the moment, but there are some very similar alternatives.
Finally, this is one of Zendaya's more understated outfits in Challengers, but also incredibly stylish.
Leading up to the match between Art and Patrick, Tashi chooses to wear a beautiful wide-sleeve knit pale-brown sweater. It's the sweater she is wearing while walking in slow motion in the alleyway, as seen in the trailer.
If you're looking for Tashi Duncan's necklace, which she wears pretty much during the whole film, it seems like it could be a combination of an interlocked necklace and a golden cross necklace.
Interlocking Circle Pendant Necklace
Interlocking Circle Pendant Necklace
In the already famous threesome scene in Challengers, Zendaya is wearing a very relaxed outfit. The standout is a pink hoodie, which has now become iconic alongside this steamy cinematic moment.
Although we haven't found the exact replica of this item, there are many similar pink hoodies available to buy online, including the one featured here.
Challengers is out now in cinemas.
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Deputy Movies Editor, Digital Spy
Mireia (she/her) has been working as a movie and TV journalist for over seven years, mostly for the Spanish magazine Fotogramas.
Her work has been published in other outlets such as Esquire and Elle in Spain, and WeLoveCinema in the UK.
She is also a published author, having written the essay Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: Nicky, la aprendiz de bruja about Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service.
During her years as a freelance journalist and film critic, Mireia has covered festivals around the world, and has interviewed high-profile talents such as Kristen Stewart, Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal and many more. She's also taken part in juries such as the FIPRESCI jury at Venice Film Festival and the short film jury at Kingston International Film Festival in London.
Now based in the UK, Mireia joined Digital Spy in June 2023 as Deputy Movies Editor.
