Subscribe
The Daily Grind Video
CLOSE

Since his time at the helm of Givenchy began, one thing has become clear: Riccardo Tisci doesn’t play by anybody’s traditional rules. And when we saw Erykah Badu stripping slowly for shock value in the “Window Seat” video, there was no question that she too, was a woman not to be regulated.

This morning, the news of the two forces combining took the fashion world by surprise, as Ms. Badu was named the newest face of Givenchy’s Spring 2014 campaign. A single image of the songstress draped in the designer’s Spring 2014 creations was enough to send Erykah’s resistance to traditional high-end glam out the window.

According to Style.com, who broke the story, Tisci had known Badu slightly but had never worked with her. Still, he said, he’d had her image in the back of his mind when he was designing the Spring 2014 collection, a mash-up of African and Japanese influences.

He spoke of her eccentric style, saying:

“She’s one of the most stylish women I’ve met in my life. She’s got such a good sense of proportion, of colors. Erykah, she’s an icon—come on! What I want to do with my advertising campaign is spread the love. Already now it’s been three seasons that I’ve been using people that express something—they are great artists, or beautiful women, or stylish women, or models that I really believe in. It’s kind of a family portfolio.”

Not only is this a much-needed departure from the white washing of the fashion industry, but it is about damn time we celebrated Erykah Badu for being so damn consistently amazing! In celebration of the news, we’re rounded up some of Badu’s most fashion forward moments that prove she indeed is the mother of all things fashionable.

1. She was ahead of her time with the face paint: 

The models featured in Givenchy’s SS14 runway show donned jeweled faces, while the menswear featured male models in red and blue face paint. Badu? Well, she did that back in 2000…to attend an awards show. She’s been on that.

2. She has impeccable balance.

You may honor models for teetering down Givenchy runways in heels, but could they do that while simultaneously wearing a head wrap as exquisite as this? Our bet is no. Don’t stop at print ads, Riccardo, send her down the next runway too!

3. She can pull off this hat.

Which means she encompasses the power to make nearly anything look good.

4. She isn’t scared to show a little skin:

Sure, we have ideals about what the conventional rules for showing skin are, but they don’t trouble Erykah Badu. She will show her skin as she pleases, even if it’s her baby bump while she is performing, so fittings in front of large crowds won’t be a problem.

5. She knows how to accessorize.

To her heart’s content and beyond. We’ll let the photos speak for this one:

Jeweled perfection.

6. She is crafty in an unconventional way:

She can pull off gold wings and metallic boots paired with sweats… and she can even find a new use for blue painters tape. Get this woman on board.

7. She knows the hair trends:

Badu was a natural girl alternating big chops before big chops were a thing, and here she is, rocking the braid that everyone would eventually be obsessed with after Fashion Week.

Because: BEAUTY!

SOURCE: Style.com | Photo Credit: GETTY