Zendaya's Ancient Iranian Earrings Ignite Fashion Debate
Her 2,000-year-old earrings spark questions about heritage, sourcing, and red carpet fashion.
Zendaya is well-known in the UAE and around the world for her incredible red carpet style. From her vintage robot suit for Dune: Part Two to her stunning Schiaparelli gown for The Odyssey, she always knows how to make headlines with her wardrobe.
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However, her latest look in London got people talking for a different reason: her gold earrings, which are believed to be over 2,000 years old.
The earrings feature ancient gold discs from Iran’s Ziwiye hoard, a famous collection of items from the first millennium BC. Supplied by London's Barron gallery, these historic pieces were set with diamonds by jeweller Glenn Spiro.
"You can wear something around your neck that dates back thousands of years but is still contemporary and cool," Spiro previously told Galerie magazine.
While fashion lovers praised the unique look, cultural heritage experts and archaeologists raised important questions. Many wonder if priceless historical items should be used as modern fashion accessories, while others raised concerns about how such pieces are sourced and verified.
Ancient historian Dr Carla Ionescu shared her surprise at seeing these items on the red carpet. Writing on Substack, as quoted by Euronews, she expressed her thoughts on the matter.
'Never even crossed my mind...'
“It honestly never even crossed my mind that someone might be wearing original ancient artefacts on a red carpet,” she wrote. “I spend so much of my life walking through museums and archaeological sites where the first thing you learn is that you don’t touch anything.”
Peter Edwell, a history and archaeology professor at Macquarie University, also told The New York Times that tracking the exact origins of objects from the Ziwiye hoard can be very difficult.
A Growing Red Carpet Trend
This debate goes beyond Zendaya. Recently, many celebrities have embraced "method dressing," wearing outfits and jewellery that connect directly to the history or themes of the films they are promoting.
For example, Zendaya’s co-star Anne Hathaway wore a Bulgari watch featuring an ancient Roman coin during the promotional tour. Earlier this year, Margot Robbie wore Cartier’s historic Taj Mahal diamond necklace, which once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor.
Protecting Cultural Heritage
In response to the discussions, Barron gallery explained that they hoped the earrings would highlight Iran’s rich artistic history and legacy, especially for modern global audiences.
Still, the moment has reopened a larger conversation about cultural heritage. Experts and the public are discussing whether these ancient treasures belong in museums, private collections, or on the red carpet.
Once again, Zendaya has proven that her fashion choices do more than just look good—they start important global conversations.
AI contributed to the creation of this article.