A young Queensland designer has described the "unbelievable" moment she saw Beyoncé wearing an outfit she created on the official cover art for the superstar's highly anticipated new album, Renaissance.
The 28-time Grammy award winner released her seventh studio album last week, along with a collection of futuristic, disco-inspired album art featuring looks by some of the fashion industry's top designers.
In one of the images, the Formation singer is wearing a black and white plastic bodysuit and matching earrings — made by Bethany Cordwell.
The 26-year-old, who works as a costumier with Queensland Ballet in Brisbane, said it did not feel real.
"I couldn't believe it," Cordwell said.
"It's incredible that she is wearing my piece — someone who is just a relatively small designer still trying to establish myself.
"It's unimaginable, but I'm just so happy that it happened the way it did, and I'm so excited that's how people are really noticing my work — through her," she said.
The photo by Mason Poole shows Beyoncé wearing the bodysuit with matching earrings, gloves and sunglasses, with her arms outstretched, holding the ends of her hair in each hand in front of a red background.
Cordwell said she was contacted by Beyoncé's styling team about the bodysuit earlier this year, but had no idea if it had made the final cut until the album's release on Friday.
"They found my work through an Instagram account … [that] champions emerging designers and young designers who are trying to share their work on an international … scale," Cordwell said.
"But I didn't let myself believe it (that Beyoncé would wear her design) until I saw the photo.
"I had held my breath for a couple of months, hoping that it would make the final cut and I'm so thankful that it did."
Bodysuit made from folders
Cordwell designed the garment with 12,000 scales hand cut from plastic document folders.
"The black and white scales are actually cut-up document folders that were all individually cut and individually sewn onto a bodysuit I created in that hypnotic pattern," Cordwell said.
It is part of her Warped Observance collection which was created in 2020.
The image has been featured in several fashion publications, including Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, and shared on social media.
The young designer said having Beyoncé wear her design was a career-defining moment.
"To have this happen to me so young … it's incredibly exciting and unbelievable," Cordwell said.
"I hope that more people are able to see my work."
"It may seem unattainable, but being focused and always looking for those opportunities to share your work is really important.
"It's a lot of hard work and time that you put into the process of growing as a creative person or designer — but the pay-off is incredible."
