Beyoncé is back for 2020: First up is the IVY PARK relaunch in partnership with adidas! Back in April, the singer and global superstar said she would be revamping the athleisure line after interest and sales began to fizzle after its Topshop release in 2016. For the January 2020, ELLE Canada issue Beyoncé talks love, reclaiming her IVY PARK line, and her quest for purpose.
ELLE Says
For ELLE’s shoot, the superstar gamely poses for a series of cinematic vignettes she dreamed up with her Lemonade collaborator, Queen & Slim director Melina Matsoukas. This juxtaposition—extraordinary girl in an ordinary world—is part of Beyoncé’s particular brand of magic, magic she believes exists in everyone.
In 2016, when she first created IVY PARK—a brand she now owns outright, making her one of the youngest women, and the only African American woman, to exercise 100 percent ownership of an athleisure brand—she was aiming to dress real women who work out, dance, and navigate the school-run catwalk in athleisure.
When did you feel confident enough that you could own your narrative as an artist and creator?—via email
The more I mature, the more I understand my value. I realized I had to take control of my work and my legacy because I wanted to be able to speak directly to my fans in an honest way. I wanted my words and my art to come directly from me. There were things in my career that I did because I didn’t understand that I could say no. We all have more power than we realize.
I connected with Lemonade and I almost passed out when I saw Homecoming. You brought it and made me want to stand up and scream your name!! What’s up with the people who give out awards? Were you disappointed not winning? Because you know, you already won with me.—via Instagram
🙏🏾 I began to search for deeper meaning when life began to teach me lessons I didn’t know I needed. Success looks different to me now. I learned that all pain and loss is, in fact, a gift. Having miscarriages taught me that I had to mother myself before I could be a mother to someone else. Then I had Blue, and the quest for my purpose became so much deeper. I died and was reborn in my relationship, and the quest for self became even stronger. It’s difficult for me to go backward. Being “number one” was no longer my priority. My true win is creating art and a legacy that will live far beyond me. That’s fulfilling.
What is your work process like? Where do you start? Where do you get your ideas?—via email
With new projects, I get my team together for a prayer. I make sure we are all clear on the intention and what the deeper meaning is. I do my best, and I try to push everyone around me to do the same. I eventually give everything I have. When it’s released to the world, I let it go because it is no longer mine.
What stresses you out? You always look like you are in control. —via Instagram
I think the most stressful thing for me is balancing work and life. Making sure I am present for my kids—dropping Blue off at school, taking Rumi and Sir to their activities, making time for date nights with my husband, and being home in time to have dinner with my family—all while running a company can be challenging. Juggling all of those roles can be stressful, but I think that’s life for any working mom.
How do you take care of yourself ? Do you believe in self-care? —via email
The name of the brand comes from where I built my strength and endurance as a young woman. I ran and trained in the park, and that state of mind has stayed with me all these years later. It’s the first place where I learned to listen to my body. Many of us grew up seeing our parents act as if they were superheroes. Most women have been conditioned to ignore symptoms and just “tough it out” and focus on taking care of everyone else before themselves. I am no longer one of those people. After having a difficult pregnancy, I took a year to focus on my health. I have researched information on homeopathic medicines. I don’t just put any prescription in my body. My diet is important, and I use tools like acupuncture, meditation, visualization, and breathing exercises.
Do you ever react to negative comments about yourself?—via Facebook
Yes, I’m human. In moments of vulnerability, I try to remind myself I’m strong and I’m built for this. Thank God most of the noise bounces off of me after all of these years.
After 25 years in the game, how do you not lose yourself?—via email
The predictable rock star DNA is a myth. I believe you don’t have to accept dysfunction to be successful. This is not to say that I have not struggled. I have the same pain that life brings to everyone else. I try to shift the stigma that says with fame there has to be drama. It is how you relate to your hardships and use that to evolve. And I try to keep real ones around me.
The relaunch of IVY PARK drops January 18, 2020. To read the full ELLE interview + an honest Q&A with the Queen visit here. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below!
