image via british vogue
Beyoncé is back and ready to take the world by storm. Queen B herself has teased the release of her new album, Renaissance: Act One, and reentered fashion spaces with the July cover of British Vogue. It’s no surprise that the multifaceted singer/songwriter took creative control over her image when returning to the public sphere. With photographer Rafael Pavarotti and stylist Edward Enninful in tow, she crafted her magazine spread full of glitz and glamor.
Described as “fashion fantasia,” the Vogue feature is an imaginative landscape that plays with space, time, and editorial looks. The stylist states, “B wanted to play with fashion like never before, and as we swapped references (from the 1990s garage scene to ’80s excess), talked hair and beauty, and got to know her team, a vision of glittering retro-futurism began to take shape.”
The front cover truly turns up the heat. Atop her steed, Beyoncé wears a skin-tight black velvet Alaïa ensemble contrasted by a Harris Reed and Vivienne H Lake feather headpiece. Additional looks are elevated with notable names such as Schiaparelli Haute Couture, Junya Watanabe, Dolce & Gabbana, and Beyoncé’s athleisure brand, Ivy Park. In speaking with Vogue, Enninful notes that the mix of designers and unique backdrops drew inspiration from club life during the latter half of the 20th century. We can only hope the disco balls, dance floors, and platform heels hint at what’s to come.
According to Enninful, who was granted a first listen of Renaissance: Act One, the album delivers “soaring vocals” and “fierce beats” that transport you to the dance floor. Full of energy and life, Renaissance is soon to be the soundtrack of the summer.