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When it came time to get into formation for her 2016 world tour and BET Awards performance there was only one designer Beyoncé had in mind – Julien Macdonald. The HELLO! Fashion blogger has designed a number of outfits for Beyoncé, including a bespoke Swarovski crystal encrusted bodysuit for her tour.
Julien also created the fringed bodysuit the Grammy winner wore for to the June BET Awards, which was so top secret that even the designer didn't know anything about it. Now post-show, he opened up about his "long standing relationship" with the Lemonade singer and the work he puts into creating her dazzling stage costumes.
Julien Macdonald designed Beyoncé's BET Awards costume Photo: Kevin Winter/BET/Getty Images for BET
"I work with Beyoncé on her outfits over Skype – it's kind of funny like, 'Hey, how are you?!'" Julien explained to Grazia. "But you know, she's very opinionated about what she wants. She said to me: 'I want you to think of Africa, and something I could wear dancing to an African beat.'"
The finished piece was a black bodysuit with around 30,000 black Caviar Swarovski crystals, which Julien worked on "night and day" for around three weeks.
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As for how Julien felt when he saw Beyoncé wearing the stunning creation on-stage? "It's amazing when you see her dancing and moving in your designs," Julien said, adding, "Everyone who works with Beyoncé knows she loves fashion and she decides what you want to wear – it's just dependent on what she's feeling."
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The Welsh designer also noted that the singer's sense of style is reflective of her sound. He said, "I think she’s always wanted to portray a strong, confident, glamorous woman but the way that she dresses is reflective of the music and what she’s writing."
Julien added, "It’s very much inspired by the Black Panther Movement - very strong, liberating and tough."
Julien said it was "amazing" to see Beyoncé in his designs Photo: Getty Images
Although Beyoncé has the world's top fashion designers at her fingertips, she has admitted that it hasn't always been that way, with her mother Tina Knowles creating many of her outfits at the beginning of her career.
While collecting the Fashion Icon Award at the 2016 CFDA Awards, Jay Z's wife gave a moving thank you to her mom for all of her support. The 34-year-old said, "My mother and my uncle Johnny, God bless his soul, designed all of our first costumes and made each piece by hand, individually sewing hundreds of crystals and pearls, putting so much passion and love into every small detail."
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Beyoncé continued, "My mother actually designed my wedding dress, my prom dress, my first CFDA Awards dress, my first Grammy dress, the list goes on and on and this to me is the true power and potential of fashion."