Beyoncé Takes Texas to Los Angeles in Vintage Versace

The superstar made a rare appearance at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in a look first worn by Naomi Campbell.

Beyonce accepts innovator award at iheartradio music awards
Beyoncé accepts the Innovator Award in vintage Versace, just days after releasing Cowboy Carter.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

This ain't Texas (it's Los Angeles, actually) and Beyoncé isn't your average cowgirl. Last night, the superstar took her country style to the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, where she accepted the Innovator Award just days after releasing Cowboy Carter.

Beyoncé has been playing up her country era in every outfit, with glittering sequined ten-gallon hats, head-to-toe denim, and ribbon bolo ties. Monday evening was no different. True to her "Innovator" title, Beyoncé wore an all-leather, high-glamour Western look.

The black leather Versace number is a piece of fashion history, a vintage set from the autumn/winter 1992 collection, finding new meaning and context on Bey. The fringed jacket and matching pants were designed by the brand's late founder Gianni Versace and originally modeled by Naomi Campbell.

Beyonce wears vintage versace to iheartradio music awards

Beyoncé accepts the Innovator Award in vintage Versace, just days after releasing Cowboy Carter.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Each piece is embellished with gold Medusa hardware. The top has layers (literally), stitched with white thread and buttoned down the front with gold snaps like a western chambray, underneath a zippered layer that reads more bomber jacket. Her pants swirl into a studded cowgirl pattern up each leg. She completed the look in a pair of black, leather pointed-toe Versace stiletto boots with gold Medusa "buckles," a Versace cowboy hat from the brand's spring/summer 2018 collection, and chunky gold hoop earrings.

Fashion editors would be remiss not to mention the two (count 'em) thick leather belts tying the outfit together. And like many of her recent Cowboy Carter looks, Bey topped it off with a pair of dark sunglasses.

beyonce and stevie wonder at the iheartradio music awards

Stevie Wonder presented Beyoncé with the Innovator Award.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"Being an innovator often means being criticized, which will often test your mental strength," Beyoncé said while accepting the award last night. "My hope is that we are more open to the joy and liberation that comes from enjoying art with no preconceived notions." She doesn't have to tell fans twice!

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Julia Gray
Contributor

Julia Gray is a contributing fashion writer at Marie Claire, where she covers runway trends, celebrity style, and shopping. In her six years as a journalist, Julia’s reporting has ranged across style, music, Internet culture, art, retail, tech, and more. In addition to Marie Claire, Julia writes for outlets like the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Ringer, New York Magazine, Pitchfork, Nylon, and Vice, among others. Julia's fashion reporting is led by curiosity. Julia is not only interested in critiquing and covering pop culture, but in understanding what our pop culture says about how we live and modern values. When she’s not writing, Julia hosts a podcast called Girls Room, where she and her co-host revisit shows like Girls and Gossip Girl from the beginning with guests like comedian Cat Cohen and writer Hunter Harris. Girls Room was recently cited in the New York Times.