It was the kind of fashion face-off only the Met Gala could deliver, and it happened live, on the blue carpet. As Law Roach, the maestro behind Zendaya's style sorcery, was mid-interview, his eyes locked on something (or someone) behind the camera. That someone was none other than "Shōgun" breakout star and Dior ambassador Anna Sawai, gliding down the carpet in a crisp white suit and wide-brim hat that looked suspiciously familiar.
Roach, never one to hide his feelings, didn't need words. His face did all the talking. "I am dying coz she got on Zendaya's look," he eventually told Hello Beautiful, still reeling from the unexpected fashion déjà vu. "I'm so glad we came early," he added, a little dazed, before the clip cut off, just as fans were hanging onto his every unfinished syllable.
© Variety via Getty ImagesAnd just like that, the 2025 Met Gala served up its first meme-worthy moment.
Battle of the Bespoke Blazers
Both Zendaya and Sawai were dressed to impress for this year's theme: "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," a tribute to Black sartorial elegance, past and present. The interpretation was a parade of razor-sharp tailoring, exaggerated silhouettes, and meticulous detail. But no one expected two of the night's standouts to look that similar.
While Zendaya's ensemble came courtesy of Louis Vuitton and Dior designed Sawai's, the parallels were impossible to ignore. Wide-brim hats, sleek white suiting, and that signature swagger, it was giving twinsies with a twist.
© Getty ImagesBut as any fashion lover knows, it's the little things that make or break a look.
Zendaya's twist: Hair tucked under the hat, tie hidden neatly inside a structured vest, dramatic bell-bottom trousers, and a blood-red manicure that matched her energy, not to mention that diamond engagement ring from fiancé Tom Holland, which had its moment in the spotlight.
© Getty Images for The Met Museum/Sawai's switch-up: Hair down, a silver tie clip catching the flashbulbs, glove in hand, and pronounced pocket detailing that made her Dior jacket pop under the lights.
© Getty ImagesIt was Sawai's first Met Gala, and a strong start. Meanwhile, Zendaya—on her seventh Met appearance—showed once again why she's Hollywood's reigning red carpet chameleon.
Was It a Copy or a Coincidence?
This wasn't a case of "Who wore it better?" because they both wore it. But Law Roach's visceral reaction gave fans all the drama they didn't know they needed. The internet, naturally, did what it does best. "😭😂 he pissed about his baby," one fan wrote. "He don't play about Zendaya 😂," another chimed in.
© Getty Images for The Met Museum/Still, no shade was thrown, just a little stylist shock captured in real-time. Because let's face it, no one wants their meticulously styled client to show up in a look that shares DNA with someone else's, especially not on fashion's most-watched night of the year.
What makes the moment even more fascinating is Sawai's style philosophy. In an interview with Vogue, the New Zealander admitted suits are her go-to for a night out. "This is what I'd wear in my regular life if I was going out," she said, referencing her love for blazers. "Except definitely with sneakers instead."
© Getty Images for The Met Museum/And ahead of the Met Gala, she told the New York Times, "This is going to be the first time that I'm getting to kind of channel my androgynous side. And I'm really excited to pay respect to Black dandyism."
So, while the similarity to Zendaya's outfit may have been accidental, it was also authentic. Sawai wasn't dressing like someone else. She was dressing like herself.
