World, stop! Carry on.
Unfortunately, for the Beyhive, when it comes to Queen Beyoncé herself, it’s hard to continue regularly scheduled programming when she drops not only an album announcement but a magazine cover. Last week, the 28-time Grammy award winner took to Instagram to unveil her cover for the July 2022 issue of British Vogue.
Captured by acclaimed photographer Rafael Pavarotti, one of Bey’s looks included a dramatic black gown designed by Area, a fashion and accessories design studio founded in New York City by designers Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Panszczyk. According to British Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, the Area gown fit perfectly with the “glittering retro-futurism” theme of the shoot.
The “Break My Soul” singer wore the bespoke AREA Collection 02 Couture Sculpted Gown, Gilded Feather Belt & Headpiece, which was styled by Enninful and Marnix Marni. “This dress was a big triumph for us – we are known for lavish embroideries, but this dress truly was an ode to dress-making,” co-founder Piotrek told Vogue UK. With the addition of a winged feather, crystal hairpiece, and gold butterfly belt, these accessories added the perfect finishing touches to Bey’s look to give it that certain gilded glamorous je nais se quoi. “It’s truly grand in construction with a sense of elegance.”
If the dress looks a bit familiar, it’s probably because you may recognize it from this year’s 76th Annual Met Gala. Beyonce’s prodigy and Parkwood Entertainment signee Chloe Bailey graced the Metropolitan Museum of Art in bespoke AREA Couture SS22 Paillette Sculpted Gown, styled by Jill Jacobs. Chloë, who recently released her third studio single “Surprise,” also wore Area’s signature crystal-choked jewelry and gave all the golden, sparkly drama in her sculptural strapless gown.
Inspired by fashion designer Charles James and the work of sculptor Jean Arps, the globular silhouette of the Area gowns gives a curve hip and bust outline while providing a lightweight internal bustle structure, padding, and an outer Duchesse-silk shell. According to Vogue, the “Have Mercy” singer’s dress took over 250 hours to create – but it was well worth the wait.
“When we were asked to dress Chloe Bailey for the Met Gala, we instantly thought of this gown. The piece quite literally embodies the gilded glamour theme,” Piotrek said about dressing Chloë for the biggest night in fashion. “Chloe was perfect for this look as she embodies extraordinary talent, femininity, and strength which is what we strive to achieve through our design and craft.”
“This dress makes me feel sexy, strong, and powerful—like a phoenix,” Chloë told Vogue about her decision to wear the dress for her first solo Met Gala experience. “I just love the neckpiece because it reminds me of angel wings. Area killed it.”
“Area is an ode to craftsmanship and experimentation. We love showcasing the complexities that go into making clothes. and then how these clothes relate to culture,” Piotrek continued. “Over the eight years since our inception, we grew from a small collection of evening and occasion pieces into a full ready-to-wear line that goes from glam denim to sharp tailoring, major embroideries, embellishments, [and]out of this world Couture.”
We look forward to seeing more high fashion looks from both Bey and Chloë in the future. Keep killing it, ladies!
Photo Credit for Beyonce: Rafael Pavarotti for British Vogue July 2022
Photo Credit for Chloe Bailey: Photo by Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images