From Vuitton to On: Zendaya is On Running’s latest ambassador

During the Challengers press tour, Zendaya’s ‘tenniscore’ looks won big, raking in media impact values (MIV) in the hundreds of thousands to millions, per single look. Her Loewe tennis ball dress raked in $8.8 million; the custom Louis Vuitton garnered $5.5 million; and Thom Browne’s all-white look generated an MIV of $2.8 million, according to Launchmetrics. When Zendaya attended Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2024 show last September, she generated almost 40 per cent of the total MIV for the brand, totalling $14.5 million.

Now, as Zendaya brings her star power to the premium space as well as luxury, one can only imagine what a years-long partnership will generate for On. The sports brand planted the tennis seed when signing Roger Federer back in 2019, and launched ‘The Roger’ (its first tennis shoe) in 2021 — the same year Federer invested in the company (On has never confirmed the investment sum or stake). Since, players Ben Shelton, Iga Świątek and João Fonseca have all signed on as ambassadors for the brand. In Zendaya, On finds its first non-athlete, celebrity partner. But it’s a celeb who has found herself (or rather, placed herself — with the help of her team, including stylist Law Roach) at the very centre of the public’s perception of the sport.

By tapping an actor, rather than an athlete, On leaves flexibility concerning the direction the partnership can take. It launches with a short film titled Dream Together, directed by C Prinz. Filmed on a track, this first project delves into the ideas around sport and connection, in anticipation of the world’s audience coming together for the Olympic Games come July. “I owe so much to the people around me for getting me to where I am and this film recognises and appreciates those who support and uplift us every day,” Zendaya said. “I think this feeling of collaboration and inclusiveness shines through in what we’ve created.”

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