Beyoncé’s epic Renaissance tour, which kicked off in Stockholm on 10 May, has been a fashion feast. One can only imagine the logistics involved in organizing—and transporting!—her ever-expanding wardrobe of custom stage looks, which thus far has incorporated everything from Vivienne Westwood corsetry to a shimmering Loewe catsuit to anatomy-inspired Alexander McQueen and playful bee armor by Mugler. Every last item, down to her bespoke Tiffany & Co. diamond-encrusted earpiece, has been carefully considered.
Her club-ready couture not only looks spectacular, each custom piece has been made with Beyoncé’s three-hour set—and frequent outfit changes—in mind. Comfort and function were top of mind for Sandra Choi, creative director at Jimmy Choo, when she was tasked with creating 41 bespoke pairs of shoes for the Renaissance tour. “We’re there as a supporting act,” Choi tells Vogue. “Our team was a part that she needed to trust—to provide her with security and finesse.”
Having supplied the superstar with shoes for events, album visuals and magazine shoots for nearly two decades (Queen B wore Jimmy Choo on the cover of British Vogue’s December 2020 issue), this time the brand needed to provide footwear that not only looked fabulous, but could hold up through the intense choreography. Choi reveals that heel heights were a particularly important consideration, and she researched styles Beyoncé had previously worn on stage, as well as adding boning in the bespoke boots—“like a corset”—to ensure they stay in place and feel extra secure.
Though Choi is yet to meet Mrs Carter herself, she worked closely with the singer’s team, who provided precise measurements, preferred color palettes and specific requests (she was asked to create something that “really sparkled” in line with the disco ball-heavy Renaissance theme, for example). “It’s fashion based, but I had to think about the functionality of it,” she explains of the process. “There’s lots of things we did especially for Beyoncé, to make sure that the footwear works for her on stage.”
The commission was unique, in that Jimmy Choo had no insight into when specific shoes might be worn and with what. “We trusted all the things we knew already,” Choi explains. “Our job was to provide a variety for her styling team and to deliver the right finish, even though we don’t even know which outfits [the shoes might] be styled with. It’s very much been a collaboration.”
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