It wasn't enough for Beyoncé to take home a golden gramophone at the Grammys earlier this year with Renaissance. Naturally, the music icon had to up the ante with the album, so she teamed up with French couture house Balmain for the first-ever wearable album and Vogue France got the exclusive sneak peek. In the cover look, Bey wore a crystal-embellished skin-tight gown with long sleeves and a coordinating hat. But in her own post, she shared a video with even more looks, including one that resembled a Phantom of the Opera-ready chandelier.
Vogue explained that the new issue marks Beyoncé's very first cover for its French edition and that the collection was a collaboration between the star and Balmain's creative director, Olivier Rousteing. The whole collection is called "Renaissance Couture" and there is a look to coincide with each track on the beloved album. Other looks include sculptural, body-contouring gowns, velvet dresses, and geometric headpieces.
"Superstar is the perfect word to describe Beyoncé, who is now the cover star of Vogue France for the very first time. The powerful and charismatic diva is the co-designer of a unique Balmain haute couture collection, with Olivier Rousteing. The designer, who is unmatched in terms of imagination and a master of epic proportions, was blown away by "Renaissance," the star's latest album, and made 16 outfits, hand in hand with Beyoncé herself, dedicated to the album's 16 tracks. Together, they have created a unique concept, 'Renaissance Couture,' the first wearable album!" the caption reads. It finished with a tidbit for every member of the Beyhive who will undoubtedly want a copy of the glossy magazine for their archives: "This collector's edition is available online and on newsstands on March 29."
"Beyoncé advocates for freedom above all else, for freedom in today’s world. 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," Rousteing said, according to a second post from Vogue.
There's no telling where the looks will end up, but with very few details known about Beyoncé's upcoming world tour, it's probably safe to assume that some of the beautiful looks (or more dance-ready versions of them) could be what fans see when she takes the stage this summer. On the Formation World Tour, Balmain created special looks for Bey and her backup dancers, including neon fringed leotards.