Runway to Red Carpet: Beyoncé doubles her EMA pleasure in Gareth Pugh

Posted by Colleen Nika at 1:29 pm November 7th, 2008 | 1 comment

When you think of Beyoncé‘s style, what designers comes to mind?

Her own mother/daughter brand, House of Dereon? Sure. “Sexy” designers like Versace, D&G, and Cavalli? Probably. How about Gareth Pugh? Wait a minute, you say, are you sure you aren’t talking about robo-fabulous Rihanna? You might think so.

After all: Rihanna’s newly adopted hardcore, Grace Jones-channeling aesthetic would certainly be more in line with Pugh’s target red carpet customer (if one even exists). But indeed, Beyoncé was the brave soul who ventured out in not one, but TWO, Pugh statement dresses at last night’s EMA awards.

First up, on the red carpet itself, Bee turned up in a scaled down, black version of an architectural garment Gareth Pugh presented on the Parisian runways not even a month ago. The result? A fairly successful runway-to-red carpet instance of structural elegance. She exuded a rare sophistication and power.

Then, during her performance of “If I Were A Boy”, she shocked spectators in another Pugh creation – this time a far less forgiving, rigid high-tech armorlike sheath, replete with bold epaulette-topped shoulders and pronounced hips.

Those elements probably would have looked at home on statuesque Rihanna, whose Amazonian proportions and stormy personal style could handle the sartorial challenge that a Pugh ensemble presents any wearer. After all, Rihanna wears similarly difficult-to-pull-off Margiela looks quite regularly. On Beyoncé, on that stage, for that song, the context of Gareth Pugh just didn’t work.

Her latest red carpet adventure has polarized critics and fans, but what do you think?

Can Beyoncé wear Gareth Pugh convincingly? Which look did she pull off better?