Shakira at the Super Bowl 2020 Halftime Show. Photo: Instagram/@shakira
When stylist Nicolas Bru met Shakira four months ago, he never could have imagined it would lead to the Super Bowl. “I just love working with someone who is such a creative force,” shared Bru, who has worked with Mariah Carey and Sofia Carson in the past, on the phone from Miami. “She’s been doing it for 20 years and has remained true to herself.”
Once he began working with the Lebanese-Columbian singer full time, Bru wanted that integrity to come through in the costumes without resorting to homage. “My first thought was ‘Lets do something in line with who she is as a pop star’ because, for me the Super Bowl is a testament to your entire career,” he says. “It’s not a retrospective, but it shows that you’ve had a significant impact on entertainment. So, I wanted to do something in line with her DNA but amping it up and making it extra special.” Overt callbacks, like the iconic one-legged catsuit from the She Wolf music video, were reserved for the backup performers, while Shakira’s look was a distillation of signatures.
Shakira performing at the Super Bowl 2020 Halftime Show. Photo: Getty
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Shakira and Jennifer Lopez at the Super Bowl 2020 Halftime Show. Photo: Getty
Movement served as the guiding principle behind the entire wardrobe, and clothes with restrictive elements were automatically vetoed. “One of the initial things that came to mind when I started working on this was the belly dancing aspect of her performances,” says Bru. “One of my favorite costumes of hers from over the years is this skirt that had three rows of fringe and moved in a way that was so beautiful. In the beginning, I was looking at fabrication, the way she dances touches on several different styles, and we needed [materials] that could accentuate that.”
Courtesy of Dundas World
Peter Dundas proved to be the ideal collaborator. Having crafted tour costumes for Beyoncé and Rita Ora, the Norwegian designer knows how to create fashion with motion in mind. “The colors, the details, the intricacy and movement—he just has the right vibe,” says Bru.
Originally published on Vogue.com
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