Zendaya Reached Out to Anna Sawai After Matching at the 2025 Met Gala
In a rare and endearing moment of fashion-world camaraderie, Zendaya and Anna Sawai unintentionally twinned at the 2025 Met Gala—and what happened next delighted fans across the globe.
The Met Gala, held this May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, celebrated the theme “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”. As always, the red carpet was filled with stunning interpretations, but few moments stood out as much as Zendaya and Anna Sawai arriving in strikingly similar ensembles: dramatic black sculptural gowns accented with bold crimson detailing and vintage floral appliqué—both echoing the romantic, gothic fairytale narrative of the evening.
Despite not coordinating their looks, the fashion face-off was instantly viral. Fans speculated online whether the two women had intentionally planned a fashion duet. But behind the scenes, it was all a stylish coincidence—and a sweet one at that.
Sources close to Zendaya confirmed that the Emmy-winning actress, who is known for her grace and humility, reached out to Sawai shortly after the event. “Zendaya DM’d Anna after seeing the comparisons online. She was so warm and funny about it,” the source revealed. “She said, ‘Looks like we were fashion soulmates tonight!’ and told Anna she looked absolutely stunning.”
Anna Sawai, best known for her breakout roles in Shōgun and Pachinko, responded with equal enthusiasm. According to insiders, the actress was thrilled to hear from Zendaya, calling the moment “surreal” and “incredibly kind.”
Later that week, Sawai shared a subtle nod to the encounter on Instagram, posting a carousel of red carpet photos with the caption: “Great minds…”—complete with a heart and sparkle emoji. Fans immediately connected the dots.
Fashion critics praised both stars for handling the situation with elegance and humor. “When fashion moments collide, it can sometimes be awkward, but Zendaya and Anna turned it into something truly delightful,” noted Vogue editor Marissa Bae.
Though the gowns were designed by different fashion houses—Zendaya wore a custom archival Margiela piece styled by Law Roach, while Sawai’s look was crafted by up-and-coming Japanese designer Hana Mori—it was a powerful reminder of how fashion can create shared moments, even unintentionally.
In an industry often plagued by competition, this Met Gala moment was a refreshing example of mutual respect and admiration between two powerful women on the rise. Here’s hoping their next “twinning” moment happens on purpose—and maybe even on-screen.
Zendaya and Anna Sawai generated many a fashion headline last week when they both appeared at the 2025 Met Gala in near-identical outfits. While Zendaya appeared at the event in a sleek white suit and wide-brimmed hat ensemble by Louis Vuitton, first-time Met attendee Sawai made her appearance not long after in an uncannily similar look by Christian Dior.
Cameras captured Law Roach—Zendaya’s stylist and frequent collaborator—reacting to Sawai’s entrance in real time at the gala.
“I am dying ‘cause she’s got on Zendaya’s look,” he said to an interviewer. “I’m so glad we came early.”
A week later, Roach revealed that there was no ill will on either side and provided some insight into the inspiration behind both looks.
“I think people thought there was some kind of disappointment on our end,” said the stylist. “It was two people paying homage to two different people: Yoko [Ono] being Anna’s inspiration and Diana [Ross] and Bianca [Jagger] being ours.”
He went on to express disappointment at the two women being pitted against each other by some commentators.
“It just happened,” he noted. “They both looked great, and they’re both beautiful women. I mean, I hate the way that people try to pin women or stylists [against each other]. It was just all great.”
Zendaya hasn’t commented on the accidental twinning. However, Roach confirmed that she sent flowers to Sawai to congratulate her on her first Met. Sawai was just as gracious about the matter, taking to her Instagram stories to playfully comment, “Celebrating the spirit of Black dandyism and Zendaya.”
She later added in a post, “I know a lot of people have a lot to say, and trust me, I admire her too 🤣🤍 But most importantly, I’m so happy with my look, so please be happy for me too.”
