Remember those iconic, matching Destiny’s Child outfits Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle rocked in the ’00s? According to Beyoncé they made more than just a fashion statement—they made a statement about race and body image.
The “Formation” artist received the Fashion Icon Award at the 2016 CFDA Awards on Monday night. During her acceptance speech, Beyoncé thanked her grandmother, who was a seamstress, and her mother, who designed all of Beyoncé’s outfits early in her career.
“When we were starting out with Destiny’s Child, high-end labels, they didn’t really want to dress four black country curvy girls, and we couldn’t afford designer dresses or couture. My mother was rejected from every showroom in New York,” she said. “But like my grandmother, she used her talent, her creativity to give her children their dreams. My mother, and my Uncle Johnny, God bless his soul, designed all of our first costumes and made each piece by hand, individually sewing hundreds of crystals and pearls, putting so much passion and love into every small detail.”
She added that the clothes made her feel like Daenerys Targaryen, a.k.a the queen Khaleesi, on Game of Thrones. “When I wore these clothes on stage, I felt like Khaleesi. I had an extra suit of armor. It was so much deeper than any brand name,” she said.
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