beauty and beauty: Beyonce ‘Was Very Involved’ In Designing Super Bowl Outfit

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Beyonce ‘Was Very Involved’ In…

We chatted with Rubin Singer, the talented designer behind Beyonce’s unforgettable Super Bowl look, and he filled us in on what it was like collaborating with Beyonce!

Designer Rubin Singer walked into what he thought would be a 20-minute meeting and walked out 3 1/2 hours later with an amazing opportunity in front of him — Beyonce had just asked him to design the outfit she would wear for the Super Bowl half time show, where an estimated 108 million people would be watching from their homes across the nation. His initial encounter with the songstress exceeded his expectations — and apparently the feeling was mutual! “She turned to me and said, ‘Have you been living in my head?’ I said, ‘No, have you been living in mine?’”

What It Was Really Like Working With Beyonce:

Beyonce’s stylists paid the designer a visit in mid-November and when they saw his storyboard for his Autumn/Winter 2013 collection, entitled “Valkyrie’s Dominion,” they knew it would be the perfect fit for Queen Bey. Beyonce and Rubin got along great from the very beginning. “She wanted something that was couture, she wanted something very fresh. She kept telling me, ‘You’re so fresh, I haven’t seen this before,’” he says. “A lot of designers were vying for the opportunity and I was up against some heavy hitters, so the whole experience has been very humbling and very empowering. The reason why Beyonce chose me over a lot of people is because it was fashion. She wanted a real fashion designer.”

Over 200 hours, (and a slew of all-nighters), went into crafting the detailed leather, python, iguana and lace look for Beyonce. The get-up involved the manipulation of skins and lace — and the star was very hands-on. “It’s a highly stylized look, and it’s for one of the biggest events that exists. Of course I was nervous, but I was confident in my approach,” he says. “She was very involved, every step of the way. Every single decision we made collectively. She is so hyper-aware of everything. She would tell me, ‘Go back to your original plan, don’t overthink it. We don’t want it to look like a costume.’”

Along with the look for the songstress, he also crafted 120 looks for the backup dancers and the outfit worn by Michelle Williams .

Game Day:

There’s no denying the fact that Beyonce didn’t hold back when she stormed the stage, moving and shaking in ways like never before. Ensuring the star would be able to unleash her fierce moves without suffering a wardrobe malfunction was definitely a main concern, says Rubin. “There’s no way anything was going anywhere! It’s easily one of the most complicated pieces I’ve ever done. It’s all elastic inside, beneath the leather and lace. A lot of moving parts went into this, and it constantly needed to be tweaked. It would be a tragedy had it held her back in any way.” The designer was working on the look and editing the costume up until the afternoon of the big show!

Before Beyonce was Queen Bey, back in the Destiny’s Child days, her mom, Tina Knowles, crafted the majority of the costumes worn by the girls — and the star brought her mom along to fittings so she could share her opinion on Rubin’s custom creation. Rubin says working with Beyonce’s whole team was a very rewarding opportunity. “Tina gave me tickets to sit in the front row for the game. They were so gracious and kind to let me into their world.”

Seeing the star step out on the stage during the big game was an experience unlike any other — and the hard work certainly paid off! “It was such a moving moment for me. I saw her [Beyonce] backstage after the show and she went up to me and hugged me and thanked me,” he says. “I was with her hubby [Jay Z] and her inner circle so it was really such an amazing moment.”

So, what happens to the costume, (and all the replicas), now that the Super Bowl is over? Will Rubin dress up a mannequin in one of the fierce leather and lace looks? Apparently that isn’t the case. “She gets to keep everything,” he says.

Will Rubin & Beyonce Work Together Again?

While the designer said he “couldn’t say,” whether or not he had another project with Beyonce in the works, he did say we can expect to see a slew of looks with a similar asthetic in his upcoming collection. Rubin’s lips may be sealed, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed, hoping to see another epic ensemble!

Most designers work around the clock to complete their collection in time for New York Fashion Week — but on top of his upcoming presentation, he was also dedicated to Beyonce’s Super Bowl look. For the NY-based designer and his 14-person team, he definitely had his work cut out for him — but it was definitely an amazing opportunity. “It was just an extraordinary experience with extraordinary people,” he says.