Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' Outfits Are Powerfully Championing Women-Led Brands
Amid custom looks by the likes of Loewe and Burberry, Queen Bey is shining a light on independent labels.
As Beyoncé emerged onstage for her first Cowboy Carter show in Paris, a piece of Rhode Island shimmered under the stadium lights with her.
The megastar first checked the fashion diplomacy box with a custom silver corset and hot pants by Thierry Mugler, a crown jewel of the French couture scene. Over the top, she added a shimmering beaded harness belt with origins 3,471 miles away. It was designed by Lindy McDonough, the Providence, RI-based creative director of the leather goods brand Lindquist. The designer's team handmade the belt; Jeremy Louis, a frequent Beyoncé collaborator, then coated it in bugle beads.
The "American Requiem" singer had never worn Lindquist before its debut in front of roughly 80,000 fans. And its selection by Beyoncé's styling team—Shiona Turini, Julia Gall, Tara Greville, and Erica Rice—was a sign of their thoughtful approach to wardrobing its headlining star.
Any given pop star's tour wardrobe today can include a list of designers reading like a luxury Hall of Fame directory. Sabrina Carpenter's Short 'N Sweet Tour came with bespoke Patou jumpsuits and custom Versace mini dresses. Olivia Rodrigo shreds her guitar on the Guts World Tour in custom Burberry briefs and Ludovic De Saint Sernin corset dresses. Taylor Swift had Roberto Cavalli, Versace, and Alberta Ferretti on speed-dial for her various Eras Tour costume changes. Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter outfits—a parade of denim jumpsuits, cowgirl boots, and ten-gallon hats—likewise flex her couture credentials, while also taking the time to support rising talents. More often than not, the best independent brands earning her onstage endorsement are women-led.
One stop before Beyoncé's Lindquist feature, she took the stage in London with a meaningful alternative to her fringed Loewe and Christian Louboutin boots. Instead, the star wore a pair of custom-made high-high leather platforms by Partlow. The L.A-based brand, helmed by sisters Kasey Lemkin and Lawren Sample, had already appeared in Beyoncé's offstage wardrobe. Getting tapped to create five-buckled boots with an 85mm platform was an even bigger honor.
For Partlow, Lindquist, and other on-the-rise labels Beyoncé endorses, a stage placement isn't just exposure. It's a business-altering vote of confidence at a time when women-led brands face threats from all sides—from tariffs to dupes to bone-dry fundraising markets.
Beyoncé closed out the London leg of her tour in a pair of thigh-high custom cowboy boots by Partlow.
There's deep symbolism at play too. From the outset of her Cowboy Carter era, Beyoncé has made a point to collaborate with women and independent designers with a deep understanding of the Out West aesthetic. At the Christmas Day 2024 Beyoncé Bowl, her first live performance with songs from the album, she commanded Houston's NRG Stadium in a custom white bodysuit and matching chaps, secured with a crystalline Cowboy Carter belt. Those pieces were created by Lindsey James Show Clothing, a destination for bespoke jackets worn by rodeo queens and barrel racers in the competition ring.
An album exploring and reinterpreting country music's roots all but required performance costumes stitched in the same traditions. When Beyoncé chose the brand for her debut performance, it was a sort of thesis statement: She was reclaiming both a sound and the look of country music for herself, with an authentic label's support.
She also brought a niche brand to an international stage while she did it. "My entire career has been focused on designing one-of-kind pieces that make an individual feel incredible in horse arenas across the world—in this moment in time, I’ve experienced the reverse effect," the designer wrote on Instagram shortly after the performance. "Beyoncé chose my design and made me feel all the emotions I’ve dreamt of creating for others all these years!"
For her first Cowboy Carter performance, Beyoncé wore an entirely custom bodysuit, chaps, and belt by Lindsey James Show Clothing.
As the Cowboy Carter tour traversed Europe and then headed back to the United States, Beyoncé and her styling team carefully ensured her Vivienne Westwood gowns and bedazzled Burberry bodysuits were paired with true cowgirl materials. Malone Souliers, a female-founded and operated shoe brand, crafted a pair of custom suede fringe boots for the New Jersey leg of the tour. When Beyoncé returned to Houston for her hometown shows, she brought custom-made chaps by Tongoro onstage with her. Designer Sarah Diouf confirmed they were handmade in Dakar, Sénégal, with cowries and crystals adorning each leg. The same night, she also debuted custom shearling briefs from Natasha Zinko, a Ukrainian designer based in London. Lindsey James Show Designs went along for the ride, too, outfitting Beyoncé's backup dancers.
On July 4, Independence Day in the United States, Beyoncé will unveil a new slate of custom Cowboy Carter outfits for a sold-out crowd in Washington, D.C. It's a prime stage for fashion that interrogates notions of patriotism and belonging in the same manner of Beyoncé's Grammy-winning lyrics. The star has no doubt saved some of her most pointed looks for this stop. And to get her message across, no one is a better fit to dress her than a women-led label.
