Many already proclaim Beyonce as Queen Bey, but yesterday (June 6), she was officially proclaimed fashion royalty when the CFDA honored her with the Fashion Icon Award.
Beyonce wore a Givenchy suit to the occasion with more than $9 million worth of jewelry from Lorraine Schwartz, according to Vogue.
In her acceptance speech, the LEMONADE singer said she was inspired by her grandmother, who was a seamstress, to get involved in fashion. She said that her days with Destiny’s Child influenced her to make a difference in the industry.
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“High-end labels didn’t really want to dress four black country curvy girls, and we couldn’t afford designer dresses and couture,” she says.
Her mother and uncle therefore designed and made the group’s clothes. Her mother continued to design Beyonce’s outfits for many of her paramount events, including the Grammys and her wedding dress.
“This to me is the true power and potential of fashion,” she continues. “It’s a tool for finding your own identity. It transcends style, and it’s a time capsule of all of our greatest milestones. So to my mother, my grandmother, my uncle, thank y’all. Thank you for showing me that having presence is about far more than the clothes you wear and your physical beauty. Thank you for showing me how to take risks, work hard, and live life on my own terms.”
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The Dereon designer and now head of Ivy Park expresses the important role that designers play in the lives of artists. She says that designers can seemingly play a background role, but are much more influential than are often given credit for.
“I want to say thank you to every designer who works tirelessly to make people think they can write their own story,” she says. “Y’all are fairy godmothers, magicians, sculptors, and sometimes even our therapists. I encourage you to not forget this power you have or to take it lightly. We have the opportunity to contribute to a society where any girl can look at a billboard or magazine cover and see her own reflection. Soul has no color, no shape, no form. Just like all of your work, it goes far beyond what the eye can see. You have the power to change perception, to inspire and empower, and to show people how to embrace their complications, and see the flaws, and the true beauty and strength that’s inside all of us.”
