Beyonce Celebrates Afrocentric Fashion with visual album “Black is King”

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In case you didn’t know, Beyonce’s visual album was a Hit! A date worth remembering in black culture, Queen B dropped her visual album Black is King in the wee hours of July 31st on Disney+ – an extension of her work on the Lion King.  

The groundbreaking celebration of culture featured a lot of epic Afrocentric fashion worth taking notes of. With guest appearances by her husband Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy Cater, Lupita Nyong’o, Naomi Campbell, Yemi Alade, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Nigeria’s star boy Wizkid and host of many others, the album has already been described as “a celebratory memoir for the world of Black excellence.”

 Beyoncé released the “ALREADY” music video featuring Shatta Wale and Major Lazer. 

Performed amidst breathtaking locations and sets the film highlights Africa and Africa diaspora. From the flawless choreography from Nigeria delivered with precise intention to the impeccable cinematography of South Africa, Germany combined to detailed fashion and braided hairstyles, one can conclude that Beyonce has outdone herself with this latest project.

In a surprisingly candid Instagram update on Sunday, Beyonce discussed the intellection behind the narrative of Black to reclaim their roots. “Black Is King is a labor of love. It is my passion project that I have been filming, researching, and editing day and night for the past year. I’ve given it my all, and now it’s yours,” she wrote. “Believe that when Black people tell our own stories, we can shift the axis of the world and tell our real history of generational wealth and richness of soul that are not told in our history books.”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

It is worth celebrating because long before Beyonce and marvel Black Panther majority of western film as described by N. Frank Ukadike in his thesis portrayed Africa “as natural scenery for fiction which kept the whole world from Africa’s reality providing a false paradigmatic perspective through which the continent was to be viewed.”

With recent movements like Black lives matter (which tackles racism), although the album doesn’t make reference to any social unrest as it was filmed way back in 2019, the timing couldn’t be more perfect as it displays the glory of black, our roots, beauty and joy.

Now back to fashion, “Black is king” features spectacular number of fashion statements by designers like Burberry, Levenity by Venny Etienne, Erdem, African designerslike Ivorian Loza Maléombho, Tongoro studios, Adama Paris,Jerome Lamaar, and black owned fashion houses. Much of the creative punch can be forayed to Beyonce’s longtime stylist ZERINA AKERS who forayed the start in Afrocentric fashion.

Generally clothing tells a perfect story just as compelling as the production design and cinematography if done right. Everyone who knows Beyonce, knows that every cloth down to its color holds a deeper and symbolic meaning in her films.

In this post we’ll look at the designers behind the myriad of stunning Afrocentric fashion looks and the story behind them

Venus Latex leotard and Alon Livné ruffled jacket “Water”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Mary Katrantzou “Water”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Loza Maléombho “Already”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

d.bleu.dazzled catsuit, Area bracelets, Laurel DeWitt choker, and a-morir sunglasses “Find Your Way Back”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Alejandro Collection “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Valentino Haute Couture “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Ashi Studio and Lillian Shalom rings “My Power”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

La Perla, Laurel DeWitt crystal skirt, a-morir sunglasses and earrings “Already”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Balmain “Spirit”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Maison Alexandrine “Spirit”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Laurel DeWitt “Spirit”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Solace London “Spirit”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Valentino Haute Couture “Spirit”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Tongoro Studio “Spirit”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Timothy White Custom “My Power”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Timothy White Custom “My Power”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Oppo Suits “My Power”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Ashi Studio and Lillian Shalom rings “My Power”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Blue Ivy in Mugler “My Power”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Alon Livné “Otherside”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Timothy White Custom “Otherside”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Deviant la Vie / Alani Taylor and a-morir sunglasses “Nile”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Kelly Roland in Alejandro Collection “Brown Skin Girl” 

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Naomi Campbell in Schiaparelli Haute Couture, Beyoncé in Monsoori “Brown Skin Girl” 

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Tongoro Studio “Brown Skin Girl” 

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Adut Akech in Jil Sander “Brown Skin Girl” 

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Lupita Nyong’o in Rodarte “Brown Skin Girl”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Naomi Campbell in Alexander McQueen “Brown Skin Girl” 

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Lupita Nyong’o in Giambattista Valli Haute Couture “Brown Skin Girl”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Zimmermann “Brown Skin Girl” 

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Timothy White Custom “Brown Skin Girl”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Selam Fessahaye “Water” 

Keama Official “Water”

Timothy White Custom “Water”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Michaela Stark denim halter and pants, Chanel necklace and earrings “Water”

Mia Vesper “Water”

Molly Goddard “Water”

in 5:31 Jérôme “Already”

S. Garvey floral catsuit and Levenity trench “Already”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

La Perla “Already”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Burberry “Already”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Marine Serre “Already”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Versace “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Solace London and Anabela Chan earrings “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Alon Livné “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Kutja and Meri “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Balmain “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Duckie Confetti “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Erdem and Poppy Lissiman sunglasses “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Dolce and Gabbana “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Zerina Akers Custom Robe “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Timothy White Custom “Mood 4 Eva”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Vrettos Vrettakos “Find Your Way Back” 

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Lace by Tanaya “Find Your Way Back”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Alessandra Rich, Area crystal eyebrows, and a Laurel DeWitt turban “Find Your Way Back”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Timothy White Custom, Demode Arm Bracelet, and Rokus earrings “Bigger”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Wendy Nichol “Bigger”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Custom Ngor dress by Tongoro

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +

Tongoro

Area “Find Your Way Back”

Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +
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