Is there anything Beyoncé can’t do? The 17-time grammy award winning performer’s most recent project is a collaboration with Topshop. The singer is consistently seen sporting the iconic British brand, so this doesn’t come as a surprise. The controversy comes with the type of garments she’s releasing: athletic streetwear. If anything, following the Wang x H&M collaboration, and the ever increasing presence of scuba in the high street, the partnership is in chime with current trends in the industry.
Impact Style offers two views on whether the partnership features a dynamic duo destined for success or whether it is a rather confused collaboration. What do you think?
A DYNAMIC DUO
When I heard news of the Beyoncé-Topshop collaboration, my first thought- (besides the compulsory ‘ohmigod-Beyoncé’ fangirl moment) was why on earth everyone’s favourite chart-topper- and ultimate style diva- hadn’t made this move sooner.
After all, no-one can doubt Queen Bey’s fashion credentials. Not only is she a mainstay of best-dressed lists worldwide (forget the elevator fight; Beyoncé’s Met Ball moment this year was all about that gorgeous black beaded Givenchy gown), she has form for design, having launched ready-to-wear line House of Déréon with mum Tina way back in 2005. The line is named after her dressmaker grandmother; not just totally cute, but irrefutable proof- as if it was needed- that seamless style runs in Bey’s blood.
What’s more, a Beyoncé-Topshop tie-up seems almost, well, obvious, given her longstanding love for the best of British brands (a girl after our own hearts there!) Between her spectacular sweeps of the Oxford Street flagship every time her tours swing by London (most recently in March where she enjoyed a three-hour sesh there before boasting her buys- including a head-to-toe denim getup from the Unique line- on Instagram) and the general frequency with which Toppers finds seem to pop up on her feed, it’s obvious Beyoncé totally hearts Tiptop. And a partnership between the fiercest of ‘Independent Women’ and powerhouse fashion mogul Philip Green, the man renowned for boosting the British high street right through the credit crunch, seems a major-league match made in heaven. You’d just love to have been a fly on the wall while this dynamic duo were plotting this latest expansion to their empires.
Finally, for those naysayers who doubt Beyoncé’s acumen in setting up an activewear brand, I simply point to that body. Curves in all the right places; those super-toned thighs; hour-long dance routines under sweltering stage lights; she makes no secret of the fact that it all takes serious grit… and who’d know workout wear better than someone who’s reportedly at it 5 days a week?
We see Sasha Fierce the Glamazon in her crystal corsets and beaded bodysuits; but we don’t see Beyoncé grafting away to actually look good in it all. She will know better than anyone what sporty types want and need from their fitness threads… and even for the not-so-sporty girls of this world, the fash-pack fever for anything athletic (just think Chanel and Dior’s A/W 14 trainers; Alexander Wang’s super-sporty meets after-dark drama collaboration for H&M) means that there’s never been a better time to get with the Bey programme.
A CONFUSED COLLABORATION
Well, if you’re up to date with current fashion news I’m sure you’ve heard about the upcoming Beyoncé and Topshop collaboration and if you’re a Queen B fan then I’m pretty sure this news made you squeal in excitement. Well, this was certainly my reaction.
The combination of Topshop’s edgy British fashion and Beyoncé’s diva style would create a line worth saving up for, until I learned the line would be sportswear. Now, I have nothing against sportswear or the current sports luxe trend (I’m a huge fan!) but it’s not the first thing I think of when thinking about Beyoncé. Plus with the recent release of H&M’s and Alexander Wang sports influenced line you’d think she’d want to do something else. She’s known for her decked out performance leotards, stand out red carpet gowns and sexy yet simple street style.
When I imagined her line sportswear is definitely not what I had in mind. I only say this because I cannot remember the last time I saw her in anything sporty. I mean, it doesn’t really go with Beyoncé’s brand image, right? I was looking forward to freakum dresses galore and glamorous pieces that make you feel as fabulous as the Queen B herself. I would even feel better if she appealed to another part of her life as a working mother and created a line full of pieces that are funky, fun and easy to style for girls on the go.
We all know that when a celebrity slaps their name on anything it almost triples the price and I don’t know about you, but when I work out I don’t want to be thinking about sweating out in my Beyoncé sports bra. Having said all this I’m still excited to see what they come up with and who knows maybe I’ll be hitting the treadmill in Beyoncé trainers sometime soon.
Jenny Skipper and Ike Denloye
Images: Style.com, Robin Harper/Getty, Beyonce.com,
