Beyoncé and Balmain Introduce Renaissance Couture Collection
Just when you thought Beyoncé might have run out of concepts for a truly original album rollout—Bey has come up with yet another innovation to complement her latest work, Renaissance.
The musician has partnered with Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing to co-design a one-of-a-kind haute couture collection for the French house inspired by each track from the album. Called Renaissance Couture by Beyoncé x Balmain, the 16-outfit collection made its debut on the cover of French Vogue on Friday, March 24—one day after it was announced that Bey and Adidas had “mutually agreed to part ways” according to an article from the Hollywood Reporter. (The singer entered a creative partnership with the sports label back in 2018, when she re-released her Ivy Park athleisure line alongside Adidas.) The collection is a one-off, according to Balmain, and won’t be for sale. According to a statement from Rousteing for Vogue, the Balmain creative director worked “hand-in-hand with Beyoncé herself” to design the high-fashion looks for the collection after he was “blown away” by the disco-house-inflected record.
“Beyoncé advocates for freedom above all else, for freedom in today’s world,” Rousteing said. “This is a powerful voice that resonates. She speaks of diversity, of every kind of diversity, and pays tribute to the queer community, honoring house music, ballroom, and voguing balls.”
“Olivier is a dream partner and a constantly innovating and evolving designer,” Beyoncé added. “Everything he did as a Black seamstress to break down and open doors was inspirational. From our very first meeting and with the designs he has made over the years for my shows and appearances, I knew that one day I would be working with him on a collection. I am very proud of what we have created and of the synergy that has been created between our teams.”
Each of the looks corresponds with songs from Renaissance—“Alien Superstar,” for instance, is a glittering bodysuit with a dramatic matching headpiece and sunglasses. “Heated,” on the other hand, is a form-fitting black hooded dress studded with rhinestones. Beyoncé has previously been seen wearing a couple of the looks from the collection; namely, the pale pink gown with a gold breast plate and matching golden hat that she donned in an Instagram post after the Grammys.
Look 1 from the Beyoncé x Balmain collection: “I’m That Girl.”
Look 2 from the Beyoncé x Balmain collection: “Cozy.”
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “America Has a Problem.”
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “Summer Renaissance.”
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “Pure Honey.”
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “Energy.”
An alternate “Energy” look.
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “Break My Soul.”
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “Church Girl.”
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “Plastic Off the Sofa.”
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “Virgo’s Groove.”
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “Move.”
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “Thique.”
A look from Beyoncé x Balmain: “All Up in Your Mind.”
Beyoncé has long been a fan of Balmain, wearing looks designed by Rousteing for her “Formation” world tour, on red carpets, and in street style snaps as well. Famously, she wore a range of Balmain looks to headline Coachella in 2018. The designer and musician, along with Beyoncé’s stylist at the time Marni Senofonte, worked closely together to create those looks as well.
Renaissance was released in July 2022—and since then, fans have been calling for Beyoncé to release the album’s visuals. Instead, they got something much more monumental: an entire haute couture collection that the artist has dubbed “a wearable album.” Fancy that.
