Beyoncé and Jay-Z Turned the Global Citizen Festival Into a Stunning Fashion Celebration of Mandela’s Legacy
When Beyoncé headlines a festival, you know things will be next level. After stints at Glastonbury, Made in America, and that unforgettable “Beychella” moment back in April, the queen of pop is used to raising the fashion bar for performances. Case in point: Yesterday at the Global Citizen Festival, she and her husband Jay-Z brought their act to Johannesburg with fanfare and a slew of custom designer looks chosen by Beyoncé’s team of Zerina Ackers and Jenke Ahmed Tailly, plus Jay-Z’s longtime stylist June Ambrose.
Each outfit had its own flavor. Jay-Z stuck to royal purple suits by Calvin Klein and a series of casual pieces like a Sacai’s sleek Truth hoodie, while Beyoncé provided the night’s show-stoppers in several pieces that paid homage to the festival’s location and the Carter’s affinity for Afrocentric art. The sculptural shape of the Balmain top she wore to perform “Ape$hit” echoed the silhouettes Olivier Rousteing has been featuring within his collections of late, but the addition of a plume of feathers and Egyptian hieroglyphs brought a new verve. Likewise, Mary Katrantzou’s puff sleeve cape paired with a sequin-encrusted body suit stayed true to the designer’s boldly ornate ethos, but a map print of Africa’s 54 countries added another level of visual interest.
As with the On the Run II tour, each segment of the performance came with its own style statement connected to the songs. To perform a special rendition of “Halo” with a local choir and her soulful duet with Ed Sheeran, the star wore a voluminous Ashi Studio gown with cascades of fuchsia tulle ruffles, while “Crazy in Love” called for an intricately beaded Esteban Cortazar mini dress accented by jewelry in the style of traditional Ndebele neck rings. The neon yellow Versace catsuit—topped off with an outsize hat—complemented the anthemic "Run the World (Girls),” and an emerald Quiteria & George cape dress with a bodice covered in hundreds of crystals was a fittingly dramatic finale.
Several of the outfits were assembled on site, and bringing the concert’s wardrobe to life was a labor of love. The effort put into this special project may have something to do with the message behind Global Citizen. More than a mere music festival, this year’s event commemorates 100 years since the birth of Nelson Mandela and celebrates his lifetime of political and philanthropic work. In an open letter posted on her personal site and in the South African newspaper Sowetan, Beyoncé outlined how Mandela’s influence has shaped her life. The star recalled their meeting in 2004 at the AIDS Benefit Concert in Cape Town and how Mandela’s humility and capacity for forgiveness continues to inspire her. “You made it possible for so many people like me to reject impossibilities and understand our capabilities in making lasting change in the world,” she wrote, noting that her entire family holds the leader in high regard. Given the Carters’ respect for Mandela, it’s no wonder that they brought their A-game.
