Zendaya faced backlash on social media after users thought the Hollywood star lacked “basic manners” while attending Paris Fashion Week.
No, the actress wasn’t called out for her choice of dress as she sat front row at the Louis Vuitton show at the Cour Carrée du Louvre on Tuesday, but for the way she conducted herself while meeting France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron.
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Wearing a white ruffled bolero jacket and comfortable blue denim jeans, Zendaya, 30, sat front row as the star-studded audience gathered to find their seats.
A viral clip The seated actress is then shown being greeted by Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive of LVMH, who shakes her hand before taking the seat next to her.
But Zendaya didn’t pay attention to Brigitte as she chatted with another guest, while Emmanuel Macron’s wife stood awkwardly with her hand extended for a handshake.
Zendaya eventually looked up and greeted the French president’s wife with a smile, saying, “Hello, nice to meet you.”
The pair shook hands, but spider man Starr remained seated during the conversation, sparking debate online with many calling Starr “so rude”.
“Zendaya girl… you have to stand up when the First Lady of France is trying to say hello to you,” one user tweeted on
“Zendaya, you stand up!!!” Another commented, as one said, “This is the first time I’m seeing myself that Gen Z (no pun intended) really doesn’t have those basic manners anymore, but it’s an unintentional power move to not stand up.”
Other critics also pointed out that Zendaya — who is a global brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton — didn’t stand up as well to LVMH chairman Arnault, whose family owns the French luxury house.
“She should have stood up for both Bernard and Bridget, she owns the company hosting this event, she leads the country she lives in,” one user tweeted, while another wrote, “That guy owns the LVMH group she should have stood up for because he owns the entire fashion industry…damn girl is so oblivious.”
However, many also came to Zendaya’s defense, arguing that she seemed overwhelmed by the show and perhaps didn’t recognize Bernard and Bridget.
One tweeted, “This was actually a mistake on her part. However, I believe she was distracted and failed to recognize the person she was shaking hands with. Before that moment, she had shaken hands with about 100 other people.”
Another said, “I think she’s a little nervous.” “It’s no big deal not to stand up when greeting people, but I believe it is more polite.”
Another critic said, “He’s just another human being, no one better than him. Status is nothing in a world full of everything.”