If you’re one of the Beyhive (and allegedly not), it’s completely normal for you to have lost grip of reality for a few seconds and wandered away to snaps the Queen B shared last night of her visit and performance in Mzansi at the Global Citizen: Mandela 100 on December 2.
“Thank you to the talented African designers who kept me feeling fresh. Y’all go so hard,” wrote Beyoncé, giving a shoutout over a slideshow of images with looks she rocked on and off stage”.
As if that is not enough to make South Africans feel extra special, a highlight of note is a video compilation made by the icon with DJ Maphorisa’s iWalk aye Pharai (featuring Moonchild Sanelly) playing in the background. We can’t decide whether we are more honored for the recognition of our very own artists, or even more struck that Queen B fancied the very song that has seen South Africans pulling off a #vosho to just in time for the festive season.
The striking outfits are nothing short of intricate patterns known to the African soil, and the designers, coming from South Africa, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire made sure to raise their flags high, each with their own unique touch.
Nothing short of over-the-top, exactly what we expect from Mrs Carter and this time the design duo Quiteria & George shamelessly taking responsibility for that anialation that only saw fit for Beyoncé to close the show with.
“We wanted the outfit to represent both Beyoncé’s energy and grace on stage, while celebrating the diversity of Africa,” British designer Mary Katrantzou told Vogue UK. Katrantzou, who designed one of the acclaimed costumes- an embroidered cape-and-bodysuit combo which details a map of the continent’s 54 states embroidered on the bottom. The designer added that Beyoncé’s creative team wanted her wardrobe to “be about Mother Africa and female empowerment.”
Even more regal than it looked, the beaded ensemble Beyoncé wore on stage featured “one hundred thousands African beads” according to Tina Lawson, Beyoncé’s mother who joined the couple in Johannesburg along with former Destinys Child bandmate Kelly Rowland. “It fills us with great honor and pride to be a part of such a powerful celebration of culture, life and unity,” wrote the Columbian-American fashion designer Esteban Cortázar, excited to have created this beaded masterpiece that took 900 hours to make.
Beyoncé can also be seen wearing a patterned button-up blouse and crocodile print skirt by our very own South African brand Rich Mnisi, while rocking a green and navy jumpsuit by South African brand Mmusomaxwell and a red patent leather bag by Senegalese desigber Adama Ndiayer another occasion.
