Zendaya's 'Odyssey' Gladiator Heels Have The Sweetest Backstory

This is what happens when Black women look out for each other. Zendaya and her coveted stylist, Law Roach, were on a desperate hunt for a pair of Sophia Webster’s iconic gladiator sandals dubbed the “Clementine Heels,” just in time for The Odyssey press tour in July. The search seemed to hit a dead end, until a longtime fan stepped in and offered her own pair. Zendaya’s 12-year-old Sophia Webster gladiator sandals ultimately made their way to The Odyssey press tour thanks to one longtime brand fan, Yvette Monique, who was willing to send her very first pair of Clementine Heels straight to Law Roach.

Here’s how Yvette Monique saved the day with her Clementine Heels.

In a video shared to TikTok on Aug. 14, Webster revealed the unlikely journey her fall 2014 Clementine heels took after Roach’s team reached out hoping to borrow them. The shoes, which resemble a pair of gladiator sandals straight out of Athens, were exactly what his team had in mind for Zendaya’s press-tour wardrobe.

The request was “very specific and intentional,” Webster explained. But there was one major problem: she hadn’t seen a pair in 12 years, much less a pair that was still in good condition and Zendaya’s size.

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Webster had her own black Clementines, but they were the wrong size. She thought another pair might be tucked away in the brand’s archive, but searching through the warehouse wasn’t an option. Having a new pair made was also impossible because of the tight timeline, and no resellers had the shoes available.

“I just knew if I could get to the shoes to Law then, magic could be made,” Sophia said. “So my last hope was Instagram.”

She turned to her followers and asked if anyone had the exact pair. That’s when Yvette Monique replied. The shoes were the first Sophia Webster design she had ever purchased—and suddenly, they had a chance of ending up on Zendaya.

“The fact that my shoes may end up with Zendaya, oh my gosh,” Yvette recalled in the video, so she sent the shoes to Sophia without hesitation. 

“The shoes were on their way and they were delivered to Law’s hotel in London,” Webster said. “And all we had left to do was wait and cross our fingers.”

“Then every day we were watching, every day we were stalking,” she continued.

“Every single day,” Yvette added.

Zendaya’s Clementine Heels went perfectly with her outfit. 

According to WWD, the wait finally ended on July 13, when Zendaya stepped out in New York wearing the knee-high metallic sandals. Roach paired the fall 2014 Clementine heels with a spring 2008 Alberta Ferretti minidress for The Odyssey press tour. With their knotted straps and corset-like lacing, the sandals perfectly complemented the Athena-inspired dressing Zendaya embraced while promoting the film.

A 12-year-old pair of shoes, one dedicated fan, a designer determined to make it happen and a little bit of fashion magic.

Now that’s a story for the books.

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