The saddest part about the end of the summer isn’t saying goodbye to all the lazy days we’ve spent soaking up the sun. It’s the fact that the On the Run Tour is officially over.
But, just because Beyoncé and Jay Z have wrapped up what was quite possibly one of the greatest shows of all time, that doesn’t mean all of the buzz about it will die down anytime soon, because admit it: You have their HBO special saved on your DVR. We’d be lying if we said we didn’t want to relive the two-plus hour concert, not just to see the Carters crazy in love on stage, but also to watch Bey break it down in a record-breaking 13 different looks designed by the likes of Alexander Wang, Versace, Michael Costello, and more.
Post their final Paris show, stylist Ty Hunter spoke with Style.com to dish on all the details of “dressing the queen” for the 21-show tour with her hubby Hova. (That ass-less Givenchy bodysuit was her idea, by the way.) Keep on reading for excerpts from his interview.
On the process of picking Beyoncé’s looks:
Me and Raquel Smith meet with Beyoncé and get a feel for what she’s looking for. After we meet with her, we contact designers and showrooms and let everybody give their interpretation. This time we gave the designers prompts like “modern-day Bonnie and Clyde,” “badass robbers,” and “cowgirl.” Everyone came with their sketches, and then we had another meeting with Beyoncé and let her pick her favorites, then met again with the designers to see if we can make it stage-friendly. A lot of times designers will give you a nice piece for the runway, but we have to get her in and out of these costumes in a minute or two. We tell them the kind of materials they have to use and go from there.
On her coordinating ensembles with Jay Z:
Givenchy and Alexander [Wang] and Versace did moments together, but other than that, me and Raquel Smith met with Jay’s stylist, Beyoncé, and Jay and decided the placement of things. When they’re together, you want it to make sense and have them complement each other, but a lot of times they’re not together so they can do their own thing.
On her high-low personal style:
…She’ll wear Topshop with Louboutins and she’s OK with that. That’s what makes her who she is. A lot of people think you have to wear something right off the runway and it has to be a certain designer. I think everybody has to start from somewhere and deserves a chance to be that top designer. We use Michael Costello in the show and used him at the Grammys, and for her to take a chance on him was huge. We also focus on energy, and if I feel a great energy from a young designer and feel like they’re talented, I’m willing to give them a chance.
Her style evolution:
How have you seen her style evolve since she’s become a mom? Still to this day, I’m just in awe. She’s an amazing woman and an amazing person. I’ve been with her for so long, and each time she surprises me. She’s OK playing around and taking risks, and that’s what makes my job so much easier. The reason why I also love her is that she’s not just a person you can throw something on. She’s in full control of her brand.
On her being a down-to-earth pop diva:
For everyone outside of Beyoncé’s circle, what’s the most surprising thing about working with her? She’s really down-to-earth. A lot of people think that these iconic women are supposed to be these bitches or be a certain way, and she is not. She allows her team to be creative and she’s very loyal. I’ve been with her for 15 years. She’s just a Southern girl. We’re from the South, and a lot of times people will meet us and have to apologize because they expect me to be a certain way since I work for an iconic pop star. We’re not that at all.
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