Dallas-based designer Venny Etienne is no stranger to outfitting celebrities but now he's achieved his dream of dressing Queen Bey.
Beyoncé wore one of his custom-made floral jackets in Black is King, her visual album and ode to Black culture that is now streaming on Disney+. Along with wearing mainstream designers in her film, Beyoncé and her backup dancers also wear outfits and jewelry created by independent Black designers from all over the world.
Etienne has been wanting to dress Beyoncé for years. In 2015, he posted on his Facebook page that "Beyoncé WILL wear one of my garments by 2020," reports D Magazine. An Instagram photo of the his now famous jacket is a testimony to his hard work. He wrote:
Do ya know on average how many No’s I get on a regular?? At this point I look for No’s because it’s a testament of me seeking for the hard to reach opportunities. If you’re getting too many “Yes” in journey then you’re not reaching high enough. I DARE you to reach for the “No” opportunities because ALLLL it takes is for ONE yes, for that ONE person to TRULY believe in you for your whole trajectory to change. Be encouraged don’t stop reaching or believing.
Etienne is best know for his time on season 17 of Project Runway, but Cardi B and Niecy Nash were already wearing his designs before the show aired. It was his connection to Nash's stylist that led to his work being featured on Black is King.
“It was just something I knew was a goal of mine. (Beyoncé's) the perfect example of what my brand represents: a strong woman who has grace and strength and carries it to where we as men really need to just bow down to it. Women are just amazing," Entienne told Paper City Magazine.
Entienne designs under his label Levenity, which sells everything from bespoke outfits to face masks.
Photo: Getty Images