Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is an ICON—written in all caps because there’s a difference between “icon” and “ICON”—who’s constantly in the business of doing iconic things. From having Coachella renamed after her—honestly will we ever be over Beychella—changing the format of music releases (do you know where you were when that digital popped), to being the recipient of the 2016 CFDA Fashion Icon Award, rocking Telfar and Christopher John Rogers at the same time, being the most nominated female artist in Grammy history and breaking the all-time record of most Grammy wins ever by a female artist and now covering Harper’s Bazaar’ “Icon” issue while referencing herself. See, Iconic things only!
Our H-town queen covers the September issue of Harper’s Bazaar, The Icon Issue, giving us all the cowgirl realness. The edit is beautiful with Mrs. Carter wearing Givenchy, Valentino, Gucci, Ivy Park throughout and Stetson cowboy hats—all aiding in conveying her work’s lifelong love letter to Texas. One image from the spread in particular that stood out to us was, Beyoncé wearing a crystal Balmain top with a denim Ivy Park jumpsuit. It harkens back to the iconic (yes, we’ve used that word a lot but hey, it’s Beyoncé) cover art image of her debut album, “Dangerously In Love.” Duh, Beyonce is so iconic, she can reference herself.
Remember that cover? With the sparkly, bejeweled, diamond chain crop-top and jeans (the ultimate high and low), the coordinating diamond drop earrings, that signature Bey smize and the belly dancer lean. The image for the critically acclaimed 2003 released, album was taken by Swedish pop culture photographer, Markus Klinko—known for photographing the likes of David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Mary J. Blige and the cover art for the also iconic “Emancipation of Mimi”—and styled by Ms.Tina and Ty Hunter. It’s an image that is so engrained in the pop culture zeitgeist. I mean, millennials grew up on this image, alone.
Seeing Beyoncé channel this early aughts moment, some 18 years later, for lack of better words—is iconic!
