Oprah Winfrey, Naomi Campbell, Pharrell Williams and Usher were among the thousands who poured into Johannesburg’s FNB stadium for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 on December 2.
Amid the funding pledges and rallying speeches raising awareness of Global Citizen’s work to end to extreme poverty, Beyoncé and Jay-Z took to the stage to entertain the ticket holders, who had earned their places through charity work and petition-signing.
Of course, Bey’s outfits were always going to be fabulous – her voluminous Valentino couture gowns and previews of Riccardo Tisci’s Burberry designs have all made fashion headlines over the past year’s On The Run II tour. For the concert honouring Mandela a century after he was born, the pop megastar commissioned five outfits, one of which was an Atelier Versace jumpsuit with cut-outs and safety pin accents. Inspired by the iconic Versace gown worn by Elizabeth Hurley at the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994, the custom look also aligned with Versace’s pre-fall 2019 collection that debuted simultaneously in New York that night. Those safety pins are coming back in a big way.
The sequined Mary Katrantzou body, thigh-high boots and sweeping cape inspired by African dress perhaps took the crown as the showstopper ensemble of the night though. When Katrantzou got the call, the map of Africa came to mind. “We wanted the outfit to represent both Beyoncé’s energy and grace on stage, while celebrating the diversity of Africa,” she tells Vogue. “We first mapped out the continent on her, creating a floral patchwork that was printed on a sequin base and then hand-embroidered it with Swarovski crystals.”
The London Fashion Week designer has been finessing the look solidly for one month. “I worked closely with creative director Jenke Ahmed, who wanted it to be about Mother Africa and female empowerment,” says Katrantzou. “As soon as we got the go-ahead the entire team gave Beyoncé all our love and attention.”
As this was arguably Katrantzou’s biggest gig of her career so far, did she feel a pressure to perform, as well as represent each country in Africa? “I was honoured to be chosen as a female designer,” she replies. “To say she’s a hero of mine is an understatement, she means so much to so many of us around the world. After all, she ‘runs the world’.”
below are other outfit wore by Queen B
Credit: Vogue
