Red carpet fashion usually revolves around high-stakes glamour, custom gowns, and loaner diamonds from Harry Winston or Cartier. But when Zendaya stepped out at a London photocall for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, her chosen accessories turned a routine press tour into an international dispute over heritage, black-market antiquities, and imperial hubris.
Wearing a clean white Jacquemus dress to represent her role as the goddess Athena, Zendaya paired the outfit with massive gold medallion earrings. They weren't vintage Chanel or art deco heirlooms. They were actual 3,000-year-old Iranian artifacts dating back to the first millennium BCE.
Almost immediately, archaeologists, historians, and cultural heritage advocates sounded the alarm. What was intended as a bold, goddess-worthy fashion statement suddenly highlighted a multi-billion-dollar global problem: the ongoing commercialization and reframing of looted history as luxury commodities.
What Made the Ziwiye Gold Medallions So Controversial
The gold discs mounted into Zendaya's earrings originate from what dealers call the "Ziwiye hoard"—a famed group of artifacts allegedly uncovered by local villagers in northwestern Iran in 1947.
Here's why archaeologists immediately recoiled:
- Zero Archaeological Context: The hoard was never professionally excavated by scientists. Shepherds and treasure hunters dug up the site, broke the artifacts into smaller pieces, and sold them off piecemeal.
- The "Undisclosed Origin" Red Flag: The specific gold discs Zendaya wore carried vague provenance notes. In the antiquities world, "undisclosed origin" almost always signals that an item was looted or smuggled across borders illegally.
- Dismantling History for Parts: Contemporary jeweler Glenn Spiro acquired the ancient discs and set them into 18-karat gold with modern diamonds for his "Materials of the Old World" collection. Taking ancient funerary, religious, or royal relics and converting them into wearable accessories strips them of their historical context.
The current owner of the earrings, Mayfair dealer Barron London, pointed out that the discs are held in a "non-invasive claw setting" so the underlying gold was not damaged or altered. But for experts, non-destructive mounting misses the point entirely. Turning ancient heritage into a red-carpet prop normalizes private ownership of plundered history.
The Broader Pattern of Red Carpet "Colonialism Chic"
This wasn't an isolated incident. High-fashion red carpets have increasingly relied on historical artifacts to create shock value, often ignoring the complex political realities tied to those objects.
| Celebrity | Event | Historic Artifact Worn | Heritage Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zendaya | The Odyssey London Photocall (2026) | 1st Millennium BCE Gold Medallion Discs | Iran (Ziwiye Hoard) |
| Margot Robbie | Wuthering Heights Premiere (2026) | 17th Century Taj Mahal Diamond | India (Mughal Empire) |
| Emma Chamberlain | Met Gala (2022) | 1928 Cartier Diamond Choker | India (Maharaja of Patiala) |
| Anne Hathaway | The Odyssey Press Tour (2026) | Bulgari Watch with Ancient Coin | Roman Empire |
Critics like London-based cultural historian Zirrar Ali argue that Western celebrities wearing ancient Middle Eastern and South Asian artifacts reflects an ongoing "Orientalist" mindset. It separates the beauty of ancient civilizations from the living people who belong to those cultures today.
Wearing 3,000-year-old Iranian treasure while geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran remain at an all-time high added a layer of tone-deafness that online critics quickly seized upon.
Why Replicas Should Have Been the Only Option
Stylist Law Roach and Zendaya likely wanted a look that felt divine, ancient, and grounded in mythology to suit her character Athena. But achieved through genuine antiquities, the choice drives up market demand for stolen historical items.
When high-profile stars wear private-collection artifacts, it validates the black-market supply chain. It tells private collectors that owning looted heritage isn't just lucrative—it's fashionable.
If the goal was to celebrate craftsmanship, master jewellers could easily have crafted custom replicas inspired by Median or Achaemenid art. That approach would honor ancient design without treating displaced cultural heritage as a disposable accessory.
Actionable Steps for Fashion Brands and Stylists
To prevent cultural heritage controversies on the red carpet, fashion houses, celebrity stylists, and PR teams must establish clearer ethical boundaries:
- Mandate Strict Provenance Checks: Before accepting any antique piece, demand clear documentation showing the item was legally exported and excavated. If provenance is listed as "undisclosed" or relies on vague 1940s discovery stories, walk away.
- Prioritize Museum Partnerships Over Private Dealers: If a look requires historical context, collaborate directly with museums or cultural institutions for loaner replicas or educational partnerships.
- Commission Modern Artisans for Inspired Works: Instead of repurposing real antiquities, hire contemporary jewelers from the artifact's region of origin to create modern interpretations. This supports living artists while honoring historical techniques ethically.
- Respect Living Political Realities: Recognize that ancient artifacts aren't disconnected from present-day geopolitical conflicts. Wearing items from nations currently facing destruction or conflict requires extreme cultural sensitivity, not aesthetic opportunism.
