Beyoncé Makes Powerful Speech About the Fashion Industry's Race-Based Dismissal of Destiny's Child
"They didn't want to dress four black, country, curvy girls."


Beyoncé won the CFDA's Fashion Icon award, and—while wearing the most bomb Michael Jackson-inspired outfit (opens in new tab) ever—delivered a gorgeous speech about what fashion has meant to her identity and career.
In case you aren't familiar with Beyoncé's early sartorial experiments, she spent her days circa Destiny's Child looking like this:
And it's all thanks to her mom, Tina Knowles, the only person who would dress her daughter thanks to an industry that was pretty in-the-box (by which we mean racist/sizeist).
"When we were starting out in Destiny's Child, high-end labels, they didn't want to dress four black, country, curvy girls," Beyoncé said (opens in new tab). "And we couldn't afford designer dresses and couture. My mother was rejected from every showroom in New York. But like my grandmother, she used her talent and her creativity to give her children their dreams."
Okay, get ready, because a Game of Thrones reference is coming your way.
"When I wore these clothes on stage I felt like Khaleesi; I had an extra suit of armor. It was so much deeper than any brand name."
Beyoncé revealed that her mom designed her wedding dress and her first Grammys dress, and ended her speech with an intelligent take on the industry's ability to change beauty standards.
"We have an opportunity to contribute to a society where any girl can look at a billboard and magazine cover and see her own reflection. Soul has no color, no shape, no form. Just like all of your work it goes far beyond what the eyes can see. You have the power to change perception, to inspire and empower, to embrace their complications and see the true beauty. To show people how to embrace their complications and see the true beauty and strength that's inside all of us."
Beyoncé for all the fashion awards! Oh, wait, she literally just won one.
Follow Marie Claire on F (opens in new tab)acebook (opens in new tab) for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.
Mehera Bonner is a news writer who focuses on celebrities and royals.
-
16 Breezy Linen Dresses for Summer
The closest thing to wearing nothing.
By Sara Holzman
-
The 30 Best Korean Dramas on Netflix Right Now
For those dipping their toes into the vast world of dramas beyond 'Squid Game.'
By Quinci LeGardye
-
JVN Hair Is Having an Unreal Memorial Day Sale
You’re going to want the Air Dry Cream for upcoming beach days.
By Samantha Holender
-
The Cannes Film Festival 2022: The Best Red Carpet Looks
Here's what everyone wore for the festival's 75th year.
By Sara Holzman
-
Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Fiancé Riley Roberts?
AOC's husband-to-be is an "easygoing redhead" who lives with her in D.C.
By Katherine J Igoe
-
Kim Kardashian Is a Modern-Day Marilyn Monroe at the Met Gala
Kim hit the red carpet in the same dress Marilyn wore to sing "Happy Birthday" to JFK.
By The Editors
-
The Met Gala 2022: The Best Red Carpet Looks
The biggest fashion event of the year is back to its regularly scheduled programming.
By Sara Holzman
-
68 Times the Kardashians Posed Fully Nude and Owned It
And we mean fully nude—as in, not a shred of clothing.
By Bianca Rodriguez
-
Who Is Jonathan Owens, Simone Biles's Fiancé and NFL Player?
"The easiest yes!" Simone wrote about the couple's engagement.
By The Editors
-
Surprise! Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas Are Parents
They welcomed a baby via surrogate.
By Neha Prakash
-
Meghan and Harry Share First Photo of Their Daughter Lilibet Diana
The Sussex's holiday card is here!
By Rachel Epstein