Zendaya and On are joining forces once again. The second collection created jointly by the Swiss brand and the actress has just gone on sale, and its launch is accompanied by a campaign filmed in the style of a modern action film. Law Roach, Zendaya’s long-standing collaborator, has also been involved in the project once again.
On is increasingly moving beyond its classic associations with sport. The latest collection, created in collaboration with Zendaya and Law Roach, makes no attempt to mimic traditional training wear. Instead, it takes the technical fabrics, comfortable constructions and functional details characteristic of sportswear, and then combines them with bold proportions, prints and fashion-forward styling.
This time, the campaign was inspired by action films. It was directed by the Argentine trio Pantera, who transported Zendaya into a world of choreographed chases and dynamic scenes. However, the film is not merely a spectacular accompaniment to the launch. In it, movement becomes a way of showing how the individual pieces in the collection behave – how they interact with the body, alter the silhouette and respond to movement.
This is, in fact, yet another instance of On using film as a key part of the narrative surrounding its collaboration with Zendaya. Their first jointly created collection, launched in April this year, was promoted by the film *Shape of Dreams*, directed by Spike Jonze. This time, the brand is swapping the surreal world for the language of action cinema, whilst retaining a similar approach: the campaign is intended to be more than just a traditional clothing advert.
Python instead of classic sportswear
One of the most distinctive elements of the new collection is the python print. It features on a fitted bodysuit, a close-fitting long-sleeved top and a half-zip anorak-style jacket. Zendaya describes it as a kind of contemporary camouflage – a bold, decorative motif is transferred onto technical fabrics that remain focused on comfort and freedom of movement.
“With every season, we develop our everyday essentials. With this collection, we had great fun with the python print, which acts as a modern camouflage,” says Zendaya.
The rest of the collection features oversized crew-neck jumpers and wide-leg tracksuit bottoms. Their fit can be further adjusted thanks to ruffles and adjustable bungee cords. It’s a detail that allows you to alter the proportions of the garments and means the silhouette isn’t fixed in advance.
Law Roach, who has once again co-created the collection, shifts the focus from functionality alone to how sportswear can look outside the gym or running track. Technical fabrics form the basis for a more personal fashion language, in which prints, volume and the ability to alter the shape play an important role.
Mary Jane meets On technology
The most unexpected element of the collection, however, is the footwear. On presents a new version of the Cloudnova Moon, this time inspired by the Mary Jane silhouette.
The model retains the brand’s technological DNA but takes on a much more fashion-forward form. The knitted upper has been combined with a quick-lacing system, and the shoe is available in three colourways: Clove / Ivory, Dew / Antler and Black / Ivory.
It is this model that best illustrates the direction in which Zendaya’s collaboration with On is heading. The brand’s sporty aesthetic is filtered through elements associated with everyday fashion – this time through the distinctive ballerina-Mary Jane silhouette.
A collection designed to work beyond the world of sport
The second collection by Zendaya and On was conceived as a wardrobe for everyday movement, but its design definitely goes beyond the classic understanding of activewear. Technical fabrics are the starting point here, rather than an end in themselves. Greater importance is placed on proportions, the ability to adjust the fit, bold prints and the way the garments move with the body.
“Our work with On has always been about exploring what sportswear can be and how it can look. In this collection, we’ve brought our personality and love of prints to technical fabrics, designing pieces that make you feel good whilst you’re on the move,” comments Law Roach.
The collection is available from 1 October on the On website and in the brand’s shops worldwide. Special pop-ups to mark the launch have been set up at selected On flagship locations in Los Angeles, Paris, Tokyo and Chengdu.
Press materials: On Pressroom
Photography: On / Cass Bird
Film campaign: Pantera
See also: Jacket | Fashion | Editorial | Collection
