Beyoncé and Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing Have Co-Designed a Collection—Introducing Renaissance Couture

“All Up in Your Mind”

LOOK: A feather-embroidered fan paired with black velvet and satin jumpsuit along with gloves and rhinestone adornment.

LYRIC: Be careful what you ask for ’cause I just might comply

Rousteing says: “Beyoncé and I dreamt up this exuberant trompe l’œil as a tribute to New York’s legendary ballroom scene—and it was our Balmain artisans that made it all possible, beautifully creating the boning, baleines, precise tailoring, plissé—everything!—which was then finally combined with exquisite feather embroidery, to create this striking, life-sized éventail (fan) for the ballroom.”

“Pure/Honey”

LOOK: A graphic ensemble embroidered with sequins and feathers accessorized with draped earrings in metallic mesh and a black jersey turban.

LYRIC: You know it’s Friday night and I’m ready to drive

Rouesting says: “‘Pure/Honey’ pays tribute to the ballroom community, sampling legends Moi Renee and Kevin Aviance, along with MikeQ’s Feels Like (Featuring Kevin JZ Prodigy). Beyoncé and I were determined to channel that same infectious club bop and exuberant joy into this design, so we agreed that an attention-demanding luster paired with a wild mix of maximum-graphic patterns was the way to go. Our artisans’ flat-sequin embroidery work helped to generate the boldest possible statement, blending together elements of psychedelic, harlequin, marinière and zebra patterns. Their embellishment work is beautifully complemented by the exquisite black-and-white featherwork from Maison Fevrier. And to give the corset that eye-catching shimmer, our traditional laced-corset design was reimagined via 3D printing, and then given the perfect gleaming finish by the same experts who are responsible for the high-gloss sheen on France’s sleekest jets and high-speed trains. Finally, because too much is never enough, once they finished with their spray painting, we made sure to add a final coat of varnish, to ensure max shine.”