The Significant Meaning Behind Beyoncé's Coachella Outfits

Coachella (or should we say #Beychella?) is upon us, and this year, looks are being served; particularly from Beyoncé. Designed by Balmain’s Olivier Rousting, E! reports that the singer had a hand in designing the five-piece wardrobe and even included her husband and daughter in the process. Worth acknowledging based on aesthetics alone, the outfits had more meaning behind them than meets the eye.

According to The Telegraph, Beyoncé's regal centrepiece look was specifically inspired by the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti, an icon of beauty and femininity. Rousting also gave some insight on the iconic 2000-esque Destiny’s Child outfits, sharing that the singer’s stylist "told me that the shows were all about survivors and that B was looking for something in a military style," he said. "Our silhouettes and our sort of Mad Max, futuristic take on military looks for fall were a perfect fit." 

Meanwhile, fans across the internet are reading a little more into the looks, speculating about why Beyoncé made the costume choices she did. It hasn’t gone unnoticed that as the first black woman to headline Coachella, Beyoncé's outfits may have been making a bigger statement as well. Fans were quick to notice that her colour scheme of black and gold aligns perfectly with the colours of the Alphas, the first black fraternity; an idea which is only reiterated by the collegiate-style hoodie she sported during the performance. Furthermore, one of her looks featured a new crest (also on the homepage of her website right now) which features black panther iconography, as well as what appears to be another image of Queen Nefertiti and a bee- perhaps in reference to "Queen Bey".

Regardless of whether every decision was intentional, there’s no denying that Beyoncé is changing the game: Both sartorially and on a social level. It seems absurd that it’s taken us this long to reach the point where a woman of colour has been a headliner at the iconic festival; but that’s the truth, and it’s one that Beyoncé is re-shaping. In fact, many of her fans have been vocal about this on Twitter, sharing that they’ve never felt more represented in popular culture before. Hopefully in time, there will be more details released about her costuming for Coachella, but until then, we’ll be sitting on the edge of our seats waiting to see what she wears on weekend two. Rousting told E! that it would be an entirely different wardrobe, and if the first one is any indication, it will be as iconic as we could ever hope from Beyoncé. Click through the gallery below to see all five looks.

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