If you were in the crowd Monday night at the SoFi stadium in Los Angeles, you probably witnessed more cowboy hats than most people see in a lifetime. The stadium, which has a capacity of 70,000 and usually hosts major sporting events like the Super Bowl, was the setting of the first date of Beyonce’s highly anticipated Cowboy Carter Tour, with an Americana-inspired dress code to match.
The sequel to her groundbreaking 2022 dance album Renaissance, Cowboy Carter marks a shift from the grandiose swag of ballroom culture into the western traditions that embody the singer’s Texan roots. You can’t talk about the Renaissance World Tour without mentioning the fashion—the rhinestone-embellished hats and metallic-fringed jackets worn by both the start and her fans made silver the color of the moment, much like Charli XCX would do with "brat" green the following summer. So once the singer announced a follow-up tour in support of her now Grammy-winning country album, the topic of clothing immediately entered the chat. The album’s imagery, including its cover of Beyoncé side-saddle in a red, white, and blue cowboy-inspired ensemble, provided much of the answer.
Performing in front of tens of thousands of mans, many of whom sentimentally and painstakingly DIY-ed their concert outfits, the singer fully leaned in to the western aesthetic. Because by now it’s clear that when Beyonce does something, she goes all in (see the cowgirl Louis Vuitton look she wore at the 2024 Grammys that was also a clever Cowboy Carter easter egg.)
As expected, the spectacle included a lot of fringe, both on and off the stage. Beyonce’s opening look was a white custom Mugler bodysuit outfitted with fringed chaps and sleeves—and of course, a crisp white cowboy hat to match. Another outfit, a bedazzled Roberto Cavalli catsuit made with a patchwork print that resembled denim, felt like a reference to her breakout “Dangerously in Love” era in the early 2000s, when monochromatic denim and low-rise were king. (A pair of transparent Cartier-looking frames styled with the Cavalli look also sold the vision).
Later, in a segment of the show that welcomed concertgoers “Back to the Renaissance,” the singer performed “Tyrant” on a molten gold mechanical bull, wearing a red paisley-printed Moschino bodysuit with, yes, even more fringe.
Styled by Shiona Turini, Karen Langley, and her longtime stylist Ty Hunter, Beyoncé didn’t just stop at custom Mugler and Moschino. Where some artists might complete one or two outfit changes in the span of one show, for the opening date of the 32-show stadium tour, Beyonce pulled off 9. At a runtime of nearly three hours, the ambitious production makes room for the clothes to elaborate on the ideas that embody the album’s profound message: a celebration of the Black pioneers who have shaped country music.
Perhaps no moment better illustrated that than when, two hours into the show, she performed the heartfelt ballad “Daughter,” track 11 of the 27-song album. It was a rare stripped-back moment of the expansive Cowboy Carter production—no dancers, no props, no choreography or lights—just the Texan-native centered on a big dimly stage belting out lyrics like “Say I'm nothing' like my father/ But I'm the furthest thing from choir boys and altars.”
But the simplified setting was not without intention: it held space to brilliantly contrast with an LED bubble ball gown designed by ANREALAGE. Launched by Japanese designer Kunihiko Morinaga, the boundary-pushing label recently made a buzz during Paris Fashion Week with its flickering illuminated clothes co-developed with design studio MPLUSPLUS. Throughout the bit, flashes of red, white, and blue radiated towards the crowd, the dress providing the main source of light on stage. As the final lyrics rang out, “Double cross me, I'm just like my father/I am colder than Titanic water,” the dress lit up with a display of lights resembling an icy glacier.
Similar to the Renaissance Tour (on which Turini also served as lead stylist), Cowboy Carter’s extensive wardrobe recruited the help of a diverse mix of storied fashion houses and emerging brands to design an array of custom looks. Burberry’s iconic check also made an appearance during a mother-daughter moment that has already made the social media rounds; the check print was reimagined into glittering patchwork ensembles worn by both Beyonce and Blue Ivy Carter. Rumi Carter, who also made a cameo during the song, wore custom Oscar de la Renta no less.
And, in a notable moment at the show’s climax, she belted out “16 Carriages” in another custom look, this time designed by Loewe, in a flying red hooptie. By now, on her eighth solo tour, Beyonce is used to giving nothing short of a meticulously planned spectacle complete with all of the bells and whistles. but wearing custom Loewe while soaring through the air just might have set a new bar—even for her.
See more looks from the night below.
Beyoncé's Opening Night of the Cowboy Carter Tour
