Beyoncé Gives the Swans a 21st Century Update

Two of our very favorite subjects over here at Vogue are Beyoncé and Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. Never did we think we’d see the day where the two had any overlap, but last night, Queen Bey’s outfit looked like a modern update on the Black and White Ball. 

In a rare public outing, Beyoncé supported best friend and former Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland at the premiere of Tyler Perry’s Mea Culpa. “Dats my best friend! Dats my best friend!!!!! So proud of you Kelly 🙏🏽,” she wrote Instagram, which fans quickly noted was a rare use of captioning. 

To mark the occasion, Bey wore a black-and-white striped minidress from Balmain’s pre-fall 2024 collection. Featuring strong, angular shoulders, a draped hood, and swirling cones over the breasts, the look is something of an architectural wonder. If Capote’s bacchanal happened today, this would surely be a sought-after look. 

But of course, in true Beyoncé fashion, she added more fabulous touches to the look. Over the mini, she wore an ankle-length black fur coat, a black rectangular Balmain bag, and futuristic, wraparound sunglasses. Of course, no Bey look these days is complete without a nod to her recent country pivot, so she also donned a pair of Balmain’s heeled Western mules. 

A yeehaw meets the Swans moment was not something we anticipated, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Beyoncé.