BEYONCÉ’S SURREALIST FASHION RETURN
Beyonce’s newest album, Renaissance, is a love letter of appreciation towards queer and Black pride. Her music is accompanied by an impressive stunning visual artwork that portrays a disco fever, futuristic and surrealist dream. In her true icon form, Beyoncé shines as she sits atop a crystalized silver horse, dances on an empty dance floor and levitates at an altar while wearing metal chain bodysuits, plunging necklines and feathered headpieces. An enigmatic vision of sexual prowess, black pride and female agency.
Courtesy of Vogue
The very anticipated release of her 7th studio album, Renaissance, debuted with stunning surreal fashion features.
Before the drop of her very anticipated 7th studio album, Renaissance, Beyoncé gave the world a sneak peek as to what was to come. In collaboration with British Vogue Editor in Chief Edward Enninful and her stylist Marni Senofonte they gave us a glittery, glamorous, futuristic and avant-garde cover. British Vogue, under Enninful, has given us home run after home run when it comes to their visual aesthetics and overall creative artwork and Beyoncé’s is arguably one of their best.
Beyoncé looks like a vision chilling atop a Stetson horse wearing a fitted black dress from Alaïa and a larger than life enigmatic black feathered hairpiece by Harris Reed. Giving dominatrix and a strong “disco-fever meets futuristic haute couture cowgirl” vibes, literal chills went down my back. It 's that good.
Courtesy of Vogue
Beyoncé outdid herself by showing a more playful and fashion forward side, one where shimmer, light reflecting and seduction weren’t out of the cards.
After British vogue came Renaissance, an album that was welcomed for its genre shifting mood. If Beyoncé had previously explored through music her sexuality and her journey after being cheated on, six years later she turns to self-love and praises sexual exploration. Inviting everyone to cut-loose and feel Cozy in their own skin, she sings “cozy with who I am”. Sasha Fierce came back to dance, to scream, to release and be carefree.
Some have said that Queen Bey took a step back from political discourse but I strongly disagree. The album is a mix of disco music, 70’s disco pop, gospel, funk and techno. All which are music genres and music is inherently political, add on top of it the dedication to the queer music makers in a non-apologetic, confident and filled with profanities way. This is an album that speaks to culture and remembers its greatness which is often forgotten or unrecognized.
Renaissance proves that a party is best when cultures intermix and work together, no exclusion by race, gender, identity or sexual preferences. As she collaborated with Skrillex, Drake, Honey Dijon, Tems and Big Freedia. A dream list of collaborations including that also included “Mother of Contemporary Gospel Music” Twinkie Clark or “The Godfather of Disco” Giorgio Mroder.
As mentioned before, Renaissance is dedicated to gay pride, as Beyonces Uncle Johnny was the man source of inspiration. She has said he was the “the most fabulous gay man I have ever met, who helped raise me and my sister.” An album that drops in the midst of ongoing political oppression that attempts to deprive people from their right to love and marry who they choose to.
A proudly certified homosexual album.
Where there is music there is Beyoncé, and where there is Beyoncé there is fashion.
Courtesy of Vogue
The first single to drop, “Break My Soul”, debuted with Beyoncé atop a shimmering crystalized silver horse against a black drop wearing nothing but a futuristic, silver, 3D printed chain piece by designer Nusi Quero. A show stopping piece captured by photographer Carlijn Jacobs, a perfect visual representation of the album's aesthetics, one that looks back at disco sound and presents it in the most modern of ways.
The rest of the images are a blend between surrealist fashion and avant-garde represented by big name houses like Schiaparelli, obviously, Mugler, Alaia and introduces new designers.
Courtesy of Vogue
Marni Senofonte, Rogelio Burgos and Damien Lloyd were in charge of styling and getting the magnificent 3-D printed pieces, the black molded leather bustiers, the futuristic metallic breastplates and feathered headpieces.
Courtesy of Vogue
Beyoncé wore an emerald custom made headpiece from Christopher John Rogers, a special piece from his 009 Collection. Melissa Asimon Hartman designed the exoskeletal golden structure made from thousands of gilded floral cut-outs. The impressive surrealist bull-like 3D corset is from boundary pushing designer Luis de Javier. Adding a touch of psychedelic Beyoncé looks amazing in a black and white smiled bodysuit from Bethany Cordwell. Beyoncé did not shy away from showing her body and adorned it with a Swarovski chain set made by Natalia FEDNER.
Renaissance’s art project shot by Mason Poole is just the first installment of a three part project. A visual vision of a futuristic and nostalgic era that proves once again the power Beyonce has.