Quick answer: Zendaya’s 2019 Vera Wang gown and 2022 Valentino ballgown stand out in this Emmys fashion retrospective. Seth Rogen’s pumpkin-spice Brioni look, white Brunello Cucinelli tuxedo and brown velvet Etro ensemble offer a contrasting showcase of colour and texture in awards-night tailoring.
The best Emmys red carpet looks aren’t limited to one kind of glamour. Zendaya’s bow-adorned black Valentino ballgown and Poison Ivy-inspired Vera Wang dress offer two very different approaches, while Seth Rogen’s colourful tailoring makes a case for looking beyond the traditional black tuxedo.
Jenna Ortega, Reese Witherspoon, Noah Wyle and Matthew Rhys also feature in the wider best-dressed retrospective. The available outfit details, however, centre on Zendaya and Rogen, so this look back focuses on their documented fashion choices rather than assigning designers or dates to the other stars’ appearances.
Zendaya’s two very different Emmys statements
At the 2022 Emmys, Zendaya wore a black Valentino ballgown with a peplum bodice and a bow. It was also a significant awards night for the Euphoria actor: she won her second Lead Actress trophy for playing Rue Bennett.
The gown’s appeal lay in its distinctive silhouette and detailing rather than a bold colour. A black ballgown, a peplum and a bow gave that appearance a different character from the look she had worn three years earlier.
For the 2019 ceremony, Zendaya stepped out in a custom silk charmeuse Vera Wang gown inspired by Poison Ivy. A sheer corset and a high slit were central to the design, making it a striking contrast to her 2022 Valentino ensemble.
Those two outfits show why a Zendaya Emmys fashion retrospective needn’t settle on a single signature look. One leaned into a dramatic, character-inspired design; the other paired a black ballgown with sculptural bodice details.
Why Zendaya calls fashion her armour
Zendaya has described dressing up as something more personal than choosing an eye-catching gown. In November 2024, she explained how fashion helps her navigate public appearances.
“Fashion, in many ways, is a tool for me,” she said. “I consider myself a shyer person, which I guess you wouldn’t quite realize from the crazy, sometimes ridiculous things that I wear. But it’s my armor.”
That approach also shapes her collaboration with stylist Law Roach. Together, they developed characters for the outfits they selected, giving each appearance a story beyond the clothes themselves.
“We give them little backstories,” Zendaya said. “It does help to create this little persona every time you come out. I just embody this girl—whoever this woman is tonight. It makes the whole process easier because it’s not yourself; it’s a version of yourself.”
Seth Rogen takes the tuxedo beyond black
Rogen’s Emmys wardrobe offers another route to a memorable entrance: changing the colour and texture of formalwear. In 2021, he wore a pumpkin-spice Brioni look, followed by an all-white Brunello Cucinelli tuxedo in 2022.
Speaking in July 2023, Rogen described the demands of dressing for a busy awards calendar. “Last year was my first full-on awards season that I’ve been invited to participate in any capacity,” he said. “It’s a lot of black tie and tuxedos, which I’m not usually wearing 15 of in a year.”
His solution was straightforward. “With tuxedos, I try to go for color,” Rogen explained.
That interest in alternatives to conventional black formalwear continued at the 2025 Emmys. Rogen accepted his Outstanding Lead Actor trophy for The Studio wearing a custom brown velvet Etro ensemble.
Across these appearances, Zendaya and Rogen provide distinct reasons to revisit the Emmys carpet. Her contrasting gowns and his shifts in colour and fabric show how much room there is for individual expression within awards-night dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Zendaya’s 2019 and 2022 Emmys gowns?
Zendaya wore a custom silk charmeuse Vera Wang gown with a sheer corset and high slit in 2019. For the 2022 Emmys, she chose a black Valentino ballgown with a peplum bodice and a bow.
What has Seth Rogen worn to the Emmys?
Seth Rogen wore a pumpkin-spice Brioni look in 2021 and an all-white Brunello Cucinelli tuxedo in 2022. At the 2025 ceremony, he accepted his Outstanding Lead Actor trophy for The Studio in a custom brown velvet Etro ensemble.
Which stars feature in the Emmys best-dressed retrospective?
The retrospective includes Zendaya, Jenna Ortega, Reese Witherspoon, Noah Wyle, Matthew Rhys and Seth Rogen. The detailed outfit descriptions available for this article focus on Zendaya and Rogen.
