Zendaya just added ‘sneaker designer’ to her CV

The first time Zendaya slipped on one of On’s sneakers was on the set of Challengers, and she was immediately hooked. In the lead role of tennis coach Tashi, the actor was on her feet for hours on end, putting her newly honed tennis skills to the test over and over again until director Luca Guadagnino had his perfect shot, so it was a good thing that On’s shoes are considered some of the most comfortable and supportive in the game. While she originally had costume designer Jonathan Anderson to thank for the recommendation, On and Zendaya’s relationship has blossomed to become something entirely its own – and now, having worked with the rising brand on a new collection, she’s fronting a new campaign for the third time.

Where the last one saw her blasted off into space by Nadia Lee Cohen, as the two collided to create a campy trailer for a film that would never exist, this time around she’s back down on earth. Stepping out of character and back into the role of Zendaya, a short film is centred around the power of movement and how it can help us express the many facets of our being – from joy, to sadness, to rage and beyond. Kitted out in On’s AW25 collection – all super soft leggings and shorts, lightweight windbreakers, and second-skin bodies – she’s captured in motion by Bardia Zeinali, and stills by Emily Lipson. Longtime collaborator Law Roach is also on board – Zendaya has linked up with her stylist on a new sneaker in the form of the Cloudzone Moon. 

Over the phone ahead of the launch of the campaign, Zendaya explains she’s “Not an Olympic athlete by any means,” but that she enjoys moving her body regardless. “My movement looks different so I just make fun of myself the whole time,” she adds. The beauty in On’s collection, for her though, is that it’s not just there to deck you out when you’re hitting the gym – it’s for days when you need to run errands in comfy clothes, or when your wellbeing calls for a quiet day lounging about at home, when the most movement you’re racking up is trips from the sofa to the fridge. 

How did you come to work with On, and why do you enjoy working with the brand so much?

Zendaya: I think we share a lot of the same values, and I always appreciate that. When it comes to working with different brands, it's not always easy if your visions don't necessarily align or you don't want the same things. I think On has very similar wants and hopes for the future that I feel like I do, and I think everything they do feels very meaningful and thought out, and I always appreciated that. It's funny, because it started off with me being introduced to their shoes because of Challengers, and Jonathan Anderson, who did the costumes, put Tashi in a lot of On, because he happened to be working with them. He was like, "Oh my God, they're the best, you’ve got to try them." And I just kind of naturally started wearing them, thinking, "Well, these are the most comfortable shoes.” 

Our partnership blossomed from their curiosity in me and my curiosity in them. I appreciated the way they have grown their business while still remaining true to the identity of who they are as a company, as a brand. It was nice, because while it already is a massive company, it still feels like I can talk to the CEO whenever – I can call them, and I can reach out to the person who made the very first sample. I can talk to the people who started the company, and it doesn't feel like there's this massive divide. You feel very included, and it still feels small in this cool way. So yeah, I think we just kind of want the same things, and I appreciate their innovation, especially when it comes to sustainability. I think they really care about those things, not just in a performative way, but also in their initiatives. I mean, I can go on and on about it, but it felt like the right connection and felt aligned with how I would want to do it if I were to start a business.

It seems like you have a lot of fun with them as well, in the campaign with Nadia Lee Cohen, and now this one. Were you familiar with the creatives this time around?

Zendaya: It's funny. I hadn't shot with the photographer before, but the director, Bardia Zeinali, I actually did one of his very first shoots he said. It was this Vogue fashion through the years thing, and I remember it was such an exciting time for me too. It was quite a few years ago, and I didn't realise it was him. So I saw him once, and I was like, "Oh my gosh, you!" and we were like, "Oh my gosh, hey!" So that was really nice. The DP is Marcel Rev, who I've known for many, many years and is a dear, dear friend of mine, and I've been able to work with for so long. That was also really special as well.

“My relationship with On started off when Jonathan Anderson put me in their sneakers when I was playing Tashi in Challengers. He was working with them at the time and was like ‘You have to try them, they’re the best!’ They are the most comfortable shoes” – Zendaya

Do you feel like you step into a character when starring in a campaign, or is it you as Zendaya?

Zendaya: I think what's fun is, on each campaign, we're trying to explore something different. The campaign before the last one felt very honest to myself. There wasn't even really a script; it was kind of just like an interview while I was trying these different things. It was about going outside your comfort zone and expressing yourself through movement in different ways, even if that looks like something small. I'm not necessarily an Olympic athlete by any means, but I have my own expression of movement, so that kind of felt more personal. 

Then, when we did the next one with Nadia, we both love film, and we wanted to lean into this idea of creating a film that never will exist, a trailer for a film that will never exist, and reference iconic film imagery that has inspired filmmakers throughout our lifetimes. That was the entry point there that was personal, but also we got to build this little futuristic character in the same way. 

This one feels like it's about exploring different facets of yourself. The idea that we are all multi-dimensional people, and we have so much inside of us, and sometimes we can feel like maybe we can only exist in one part of who we are, but really, I think we're even more powerful when we're able to hone in on all those aspects of ourselves and not be afraid of our joy, our sadness, our creativity – all the things that make us who we are.

Talking about movement, when it comes to exercise are you a ‘drag yourself out of bed in the morning’ or a ‘get around to it in the evening’ kind of person?

Zendaya: I am envious of people who work out and say, "Oh, I've got so much energy now, it just gives me so much energy." That does not happen for me. When I work out, I need at least a three-hour power nap. I am so tired. I remember when I was training for Challengers, I would wake up, do my tennis training for however many hours, do my physical fitness training for however many hours, and then I would literally go home, shower, take a nap for two or three hours, get some lunch, and then go do rehearsals. But I had to have that nap in between. My eyes, I couldn't keep them open. So I think I'm more of an evening workout kind of gal. For whatever reason, I still need to be forced to do it, but I get so incredibly exhausted after, I have to go right to sleep.

So what are three must-haves that are always in your gym bag?

Zendaya: I would say you need your comfy trainer – your easy, comfy shoe that you can throw on, and they kind of match with everything you wear. I usually go for more neutral tones. I'd say a good pair of leggings – there are actually some new leggings that On has constructed that I'm excited about – and just something to throw on after. We have a lot of these zip-ups, made from really lightweight materials, they’re so soft. I want to say jumpers, but like little zip-ups. It's just nice to have a little something to slip on that's not too hot and not too cold, but just enough of a layer to throw on after you work out.

“I am envious of people who work out and say, ‘Oh, I've got so much energy now, it just gives me so much energy.’ That does not happen for me. When I work out, I need at least a three-hour power nap” – Zendaya

Are you a lone gym wolf or do you like to take a workout buddy?

Zendaya: I like to do things alone so that I can go at my own pace, and I don't feel any pressure to do it right or, I don't know, you don't get in your head so much. Sometimes I'll do a session over Zoom with an instructor or something like that. I like to do things pretty simple, with things I can have at home, because obviously going to the gym is a different experience for me. If I have my little dumbbells, my yoga mat, and my resistance bands, I can do it at home, in the safety of my own home. I can play my own music, nobody's staring at me. 

But other than that, if I were to want to go, I would go with my best friends or family or whatever, because I ultimately end up just laughing my way through it, because I am typically the one who's very out of shape and inflexible. I have friends who really hit the gym hard, and I am not one of those people. Like I said, my movement looks different, so I just make fun of myself the whole time, because whatever you're doing, I cannot do.

How do you see your relationship with On developing? 

Zendaya: I think we’re having a good time blending these worlds, and starting to experiment with different silhouettes with On. The more we work together, the more I'll be able to try things and experiment a little bit with the apparel side of things. Clothing that, to me at least, is for everybody, right? So yes, it's for people who love the gym, or are athletes, or enjoy more rigorous physical activity – something for them – but also for people whose movement looks different. There are a lot of people that have jobs that just require them to be on their feet all day or moving or doing whatever, which is just a different way of expressing yourself through movement. 

These are pieces that you can also wear to the gym, but you can also wear to lunch. Pieces that are for everybody to feel included in that way. Like I said, movement looks different for everyone. I'm the last person to speak on being the most athletic or whatever, but I do have a job that keeps me moving. I'm literally never in the same place and I'm constantly on my feet, especially when I'm on set. I've noticed these days, as I'm getting older, I can't just wear shoes without the proper support all day and think that my back is going to feel good the next day. I actually have to take care of myself in this way, but I still want to be cute, you know? So I think that's what this is for and where it’s going. It's a little something for everybody.