As a fashion commerce editor, I get a lot of emails about the things celebrities wear. In turn, I report back to my readers and aid in your efforts to “get the look.” For example, when Jacob Elordi is seen with a Bottega Veneta tote, I’ll tell you exactly which one and where you can buy it. I think you get the gist.
Calzedonia is one of the brands I hear from most frequently. At least once a week, my inbox pings with a new alert that someone along the lines of Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, or Bella Hadid—some of the most famous women on the planet right now—have been spotted out and about in—you guessed it—Calzedonia tights. Earlier this week was the grand reveal: Gigi Hadid wore $10 Calzedonia tights to the Met Gala. I had to wonder, what is it about this hosiery specifically?
My journalistic curiosity was piqued, to say the least. Like a true investigative reporter, I reached out to Calzedonia and was immediately directed to Adee Drexler, founder and CEO of ICA, the agency that reps the Italian brand. Notably, Drexler and her team at ICA work with many noteworthy (and celebrity-loved) brands in addition to Calzedonia, including Cult Gaia, Simon Miller, I.AM.GIA, and Danielle Guizio, to name several. As such, they’ve gotten know who’s who in the world of A-list stylists throughout the years, Drexler explained. Form and maintain good relationships with stylists, and soon enough, your tights grace the Met Gala steps, I suppose.
“Once we know a stylist has our Calzedonia tights in hand, our team keeps a very keen eye out for potential sightings,” Drexler says, assuring me that they really do get confirmation that the tights in question truly were Calzedonia before sending emails out to fashion editors such as myself. “When we spot a celeb wearing what we suspect to be our tights, our team will then reach out to the stylist directly for confirmation before hitting send on our pitch for fashion credits.”
Yael Quint, who styles the likes of Julia Fox, Kris Jenner, and Jamie Chung, told me point-blank that it’s her “go-to tights brand.”
Natasha Colvin, who’s dressed Irina Shayk and Nicola Peltz Beckham, among others, also cites it as her favorite. “I do prefer Calzedonia over other brands,” she admits. “I find that they have the best selection in a wide variety of colors, fabrics, and patterns.” Colvin also noted that Shayk, in particular, loves incorporating tights into her looks.
Another stylist, Zoe Gofman, who’s worked influencers like Remi Bader and Erika Costell, says, “There is nothing worse than buying a pair of tights that don’t allow stretch or buying a pair of tights that easily rip. Calzedonia covers it all.”
Even Jared Eng—or Just Jared as you may know him—is a Calzedonia loyalist. After all, when he’s not running the popular gossip site, he’s styling friends like Joey King and Kodi Smit-McPhee. “Calzedonia has such a wide variety of designs and deniers,” he says. “They’re a one-stop shop.” Calzedonia also works closely with Dani Michelle, who regularly styles Jenner and Bieber in their tights.
So, there you have it. For the low price of just $10–$20, you genuinely can get the look of your favorite leggy model-slash-internet personality. And as the no-pants trend takes hold, perhaps this deep dive will inform your next tights purchase. Below, find which style each stylist recommends most.
Meg is the Associate Fashion Commerce Editor at ELLE.com where she researches trends, tests products, and looks for answers to all your burning questions. She also co-writes a monthly column, Same Same But Different. Meg has previously written for Cosmopolitan and Town & Country. Her passions include travel, buffalo sauce, and sustainability. She will never stop hoping for a One Direction reunion tour.