A stellar story by The New York Times‘ fashion director, Vanessa Friedman, popped up on my news feed this afternoon, and it led me to a startling revelation: Beyoncé is not a fashion icon. Friedman’s article was spurred by a fashion exhibition dedicated to Queen Bey in the Legends of Rock section of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which, having opened last week, features the gold Thierry Mugler bodysuit from 2009′s “Sweet Dreams,” the superstar’s black leather and lace 2013 Super Bowl look, and the metal glove from 2008′s “Single Ladies” video, as well as the violet feather-embellished Givenchy Haute Couture gown Mrs. Carter donned to the 2012 Met Gala. To be sure, most of these wares are showstoppers. But are they iconic? Not so much.
What’s more, Friedman notes, is that despite her mega following, Beyoncé hasn’t spurred a bevy of trends or launched the careers of young designers, like Rihanna or Lady Gaga have. Furthermore, aside from booty-baring bodysuits, I can’t even think of how one might describe Beyoncé’s signature offstage style because she doesn’t really have one. She hasn’t truly demonstrated any evolution in her wardrobe or her taste since her Destiny’s Child days. And even scrolling through the exhibition images online, the majority of the included pieces have an overly chintzy-meets-not-quite-street aesthetic, as if Bey were stuck in the days of “Bills Bills Bills.”
But that’s not to say Beyoncé isn’t a cultural icon (and I’m not just saying that for fear of Beygency retaliation). She has a body like a rocket, she’s broken every record in the book (like that time she released 17 videos overnight on iTunes), and she’s got moves and a voice most performers would kill for. However, as a voice for feminine empowerment in the public eye, it would be exciting if she stepped up her day-to-day sartorial game just a smidge. And for that matter, it would have been nice to have seen the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame fete a real fashion tastemaker (ahem, Rihanna) instead.
