Make Way — Zaya Wade Is Coming Through

Puma’s newest It Girl opens up about owning her personal style and stepping into Gabrielle Union’s shoes.

From slaying on the red carpet with her parents to taking on the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week, you’d be hard pressed to not find Zaya Wade everywhere you look. The 15-year old model has been booked and busy, including starring in Puma’s new Forever. Classic. campaign. It’s safe to say — Zaya Wade is that girl.

From bold bike shorts to sleek bomber jackets, Zaya stuns in Puma’s fashion-focused (yet practical) activewear photoshoot. Alongside actors Angus Cloud, Caleb McLaughlin, and Iris Apatow, the Gen-Z darling shines with long black hair that reaches her waist and a natural beauty look. Regardless of the glam moments, Zaya insists she’s a lot more relaxed than her Instagram may let on. “Even though I do love to show up and show out with a really high-glam outfit, I truly believe that I enjoy a more laid-back style,” she tells InStyle. “A good sweatshirt with some shorts is all I need.”

Her distinct, fun fashion sense has caught the attention of the fashion world, and you can tell she is having fun expressing herself and playing with color and texture. You can forget about her being a carbon copy of anyone who has come before her — Zaya Wade is one of one, letting her own sense of style guide her towards certain pieces.

“I would define my style as unique, ever-changing, and comfortable,” Wade says. “I don't have a style icon, because I have so many different aspects of my style and what that means to me. I get most of my style inspiration from the people around me, like my family.”

Related:Zaya Wade Shared a Momentous Occasion With Her Parents Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade

Stepmom Gabrielle Union has definitely been an impactful influence to have around, though, and Zaya’s been taking notes. “When I was a kid, I used to take her heels and catwalk in them, which has clearly paid off, but I don't do that anymore,” she says.

While Zaya may have practiced in Union’s shoes, the emotional support she’s also gotten from her father, Dwyane Wade, has propelled her to new heights. Although the young star has been going by Zaya since 2020, a judge made the change official last month, along with a legal change in her assignment of gender. Watching her ascend the fashion ranks, Dwyane called Zaya “an icon living” in a recent Twitter post while supporting her from the sidelines.

When she’s not taking over the fashion world, Zaya likes to curl up with a classic film she can return to again and again: 13 Going On 30. “That movie is so iconic,” she explains. “But also it's really funny and I feel that every teenager or kid my age wants to be an adult, so I kind of relate to the character.”

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Read the original article on InStyle.