How Teyana Taylor, Zendaya and More Pay Tribute to Black Icons

Leading Black actors and actresses have been at the center of defining style moments for decades — as chronicled in WWD’s 2024 book, “Black in Fashion: 100 Years of Style, Influence & Culture,” written by Tonya Blazio-Licorish and Tara Donaldson.

In celebration of Black History Month, notable Black creatives from across the industry talked about their favorite modern red carpet stars and how they honor historical Black figures that came before them. The common thread? Authenticity, originality and fearlessness.

Zendaya — who is gearing up for a big 2026 with four new films and the return of “Euphoria” — has often teamed up with her longtime collaborator Law Roach to pay tribute to Hollywood trailblazers. For example, Roach wrote on Instagram that Zendaya’s 2025 Golden Globes look — a burnt orange Louis Vuitton gown and carefully coiffed wavy bob — was styled “in honor of Diahann, Eartha, Dorothy and Joyce,” referring to Diahann Carroll, Eartha Kitt, Dorothy Dandridge and Joyce Bryant.

Louis Pisano, a Paris-based fashion journalist, drew a parallel between Zendaya and the late Carroll. “The way [Zendaya]’s able to bring life and personality elegantly to clothes is very similar to Diahann. These are two women who love fashion, who love getting dressed up. They are generational ‘It’ girls who understood the power of an image (and their image),” Pisano said.

Like Zendaya, Teyana Taylor understands the power of fashion storytelling during high-profile moments.

The actress — who has been the star of the 2026 awards circuit and is nominated for an Academy Award for her work in “One Battle After Another — shares many of the same defining qualities as Diana Ross, observed Jordyn Woods, founder of clothing brand Woods by Jordyn.

“They both use fashion as an extension of their personality — bold, fearless and rooted in self-expression rather than trends,” Woods said. “[Teyana] is completely unapologetic in who she is and how she shows up, and that confidence comes through in every look.”

Of course, Ross has also deeply influenced her own daughter, Tracee Ellis Ross, the actress and Pattern Beauty founder.

Last year, when the younger Ross was honored as the Hollywood Trailblazer at WWD’s Style Awards, she discussed how her mother taught her the enduring appeal of “big hair and glamour.” (When she was a teenager, the younger Ross made her runway debut in Thierry Mugler’s 1991/1992 “Butterfly” show.)

Decades later, the actress and entrepreneur views style as a “form of expression, and it’s one of the ways that I wear my insides on my outside,” she said during the WWD Style Awards moment. Curator and professor Isolde Brielmaier echoed that sentiment, remarking how she “carries forth her humanity in how she dresses.”

“Her style directly reflects how she chooses to live in this world — graceful, joyful, smart, daring, aware, bold, passionate and fully embodied,” Brielmaier said.

Few celebrities have commanded the fashion conversation like Rihanna, who has redefined maternity fashion in recent years. For instance, during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2023, she revealed her baby bump, which was concealed under her custom Alaïa red jumpsuit and accompanied by a pair of MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon sneakers that quickly became a hot shoe.

Two years later, she stole the show again at the 2025 Met Gala with a surprise pregnancy reveal in her custom Marc Jacobs pin-striped look, embracing the event’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”

“[Rihanna] understands branding, image, and cultural timing in a way that’s almost surgical. She doesn’t just wear clothes. She creates literal fashion moments,” said designer Brandon Blackwood.

Blackwood compared Rihanna to Dapper Dan — another fashion force who created his own distinct fashion rules. “They both move with intention and confidence, and neither of them waits for the industry to validate their choices. They shape the narrative instead of chasing it. That level of autonomy is something I admire and try to embody in my own work,” he said.

Like Rihanna and Dapper Dan, Tyler the Creator — a Converse brand partner — has established himself as a fashion innovator from the music stage to the red carpet.

For example, during the New York premiere of “Marty Supreme” last December, the actor wore an eye-catching pastel blue and yellow suit from his le Fleur line. During his Grammys performance this month, the rapper rotated various ensembles for his performance. For one of his onstage looks, he paired a red leather matching jacket and pants with the Converse 1908 Jogger style.

“I respect him as a true world builder. He has fully constructed his environment, from his creative output and audience to his language, and, most importantly, his uniform,” said footwear designer Salehe Bembury. “What I admire most is how unapologetically himself he is in every space he enters, both in personality and visually. His creativity is clearly driven by childhood nostalgia, which is something I deeply relate to and draw from myself.”