Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP Heats Up Retail

Beyoncé starts her North American leg of the mega-successful Renaissance World Tour in Toronto, Canada with two sellout shows on July 8 and 9, 2023. As part of the occasion, she is partnering with luxury fashion and accessory retailer, Holt Renfrew, to launch a pop-up experience called the RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP between July 5 to 11, 2023 to sell merchandise in support of her global number one album, act i: RENAISSANCE album and the associated tour.

Introduction – act i: RENAISSANCE and the RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP Pop-up Experience

act i: RENAISSANCE

Beyoncé released the critically acclaimed act i: RENAISSANCE album on July 29, 2022. The album features 16 tracks focused on the various sub-genre of dance music. Her website posted unique merchandise for sale ahead of the launch to great success. Retail Mashup reported this launch as part of its special on music and pop-up experiences.

Thus far, the album has spawned four singles, Break My Soul, Cuff It, America Has a Problem, Virgo’s Groove. It was nominated for nine awards at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards (including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year. Her four wins including Best Dance/Electronic Album made her the most celebrated artist in Grammy history with 32 wins in total.

Beyoncé breaks the record for the most Grammy wins in history with 32 total wins (Source: Recording Academy/Grammy)

RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP

What is the RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP?
The RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP is an immersive experience and clothing installation that celebrates Beyoncé’s current album and tour. Holt Renfrew has been working hard to transform the third floor of its 50 Bloor Street West store located in downtown Toronto for this special event. The merchandise launch is only available from July 5 to 11, 2023 until supplies last.

Toronto is currently the only city in North America to have this pop-up experience. London, United Kingdom at Flannels was the first city to have the Renaissance Flagship store.

Beyoncé RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP store (Source: Flannel)

The 21-piece collection, priced from US$20 to $250 will be available at this location. Items in the collection include Beyoncé’s signature silver Renaissance cowboy hat; a “Summer Renaissance” hoodie featuring an oversized “B”; a white T-shirt with artwork inspired by a segment from the tour; a long-sleeved T-shirt featuring the Renaissance album cover but in green screen form; an 80-page Renaissance World Tour art book; and a “We Shut This City Down” T-shirt in as part of the Toronto summer takeover.

Some of the items from this collection will also be for sale at concert venues and at the Beyoncé website.

Limited edition “London Has A Problem!” t-shirt at the Beyoncé RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP store in London, UK. (Source: Flannel)

The entire collection was created by Balmain exclusively for the album, pop-up experience, and tour. Expect the Toronto location to include a mini-installation of the couture pieces that inspired the Balmain x Beyoncé collection.

 Renaissance Couture by Beyoncé x Balmain mini installation at the Beyoncé RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP store in London, UK (Source: Flannel)

The star announced the superstar partnership back in March 2023. She co-created the collection with Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing. The 16 pieces is an homage to the 16 songs featured in the album. Here are two beautiful pieces from the collection:

PURE/HONEY

Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP Heats Up Retail 7

PURE/HONEY from the Renaissance Couture by Beyoncé x Balmain collection. Graphic ensemble embroidered with sequins and feathers, draped earrings in metallic mesh and black jersey turban (Source: Balmain)

“RENAISSANCE pays tribute to the ballroom community with the song PURE/HONEY, sampling legends Moi Renee and Kevin Aviance, along with MikeQ’s Feels Like (Featuring Kevin JZ Prodigy). Since Beyoncé and I were determined to channel that same infectious club bop and exuberant joy into this design, we agreed that an attention-demanding luster paired with a wild mix of maximum-graphic patterns was definitely the way to go.

Our artisan’s impressive flat-sequin embroidery work helped to generate the boldest possible statement, blending together elements of psychedelic, harlequin, marinière and zebra patterns. Their embellishment work is perfectly complemented by the exquisite black-and-white featherwork from Maison Fevrier, which has long been celebrated for creating incredibly stunning plumage seen on both Paris’ haute couture runways and the city’s legendary cabarets.

To give the corset that eye-catching shimmer, our traditional laced-corset design was reimagined via 3D printing, and then given the perfect gleaming finish by the same experts who are responsible for the high-gloss sheen on France’s sleekest jets and high-speed trains. And, because too much is never enough, once they finished with their spray painting, we made sure to add a final coat of varnish, to ensure max shine.”

– Olivier Rousteing

Summer Renaissance from the Renaissance Couture by Beyoncé x Balmain collection. Wig, cape and short strapless dress—all embroidered with lurex fringes, crystals and rhinestones (Source: Balmain)

“To match the outright joyful spirit of the disco-flavored final track on RENAISSANCE, with its blend of rounds of applause and those amazing high notes from Beyoncé, as she channels Donna Summer’s classic I Feel Love, Bey and I knew that we had to aim for nothing short of absolute celebratory extravagance.

The minimalism of the short, perfectly tailored Balmain dress, with its bustier construction and horizontal lines, pairs seamlessly with the maximalism of the long cape that is definitely designed to be placed upon the shoulders of a disco queen, with its impressive vertical mass and matching wig. It’s all pulled together by the multitude of silver fringes.

Each of those strands having been deftly constructed by our house artisans, who melded together three different sparkling, shining and shimmering materials to create each perfect twinkling filament—and, once they’re all grouped together, they form an it’s so good ensemble for our SUMMER RENAISSANCE dance floor.”

– Olivier Rousteing

Explore the rest of the collection here.

Holt Renfrew

Holt Renfew has been a staple in the Canadian luxury fashion retail scene since it was founded in 1837 in Québec, Canada. The retail chain currently has six stores across Canada. This is the first time the brand has worked with a musical artist in building an pop-up experience.

Holt Renfrew’s reactions on the immersive concept
“We, at Holt Renfrew are thrilled and honoured to be the home to the RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP in Toronto. At Holts, we stand behind empowering self-expression and igniting positive change and we truly believe that the RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP is an incomparable Illustration of this spirit,” Sebastian Picardo, president and CEO of Holt Renfrew, said in a statement. “We can’t wait to welcome all to this unforgettable experience in partnership with one of the greatest icons in entertainment.”

Beyoncé partners with Holt Renfrew to bring her RENAISSANCE FLAGSHIP store to Toronto, Canada (Source: Holt Renfrew)

In addition to Renaissance Couture by Beyoncé x Balmain collection, the singer is also introducing a limited edition product extension titled Renaissance: Beyoncé with Balmain which includes two oversized tees, a dropped-shoulder hoodie, and a giant tote emblazoned with the collection’s moniker. They will be priced from about US$150 to $450 while supplies last.

The Tour

Beyoncé launched her Renaissance World Tour on May 10, 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden. Playing in stadiums, Toronto is one of three cities to have two or more dates. Other stops on the tour include Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Miami, and Seattle. This leg of the tour will end on September 27, 2023 in New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome.

Here are the tour dates for the North American leg of the Beyoncé Renaissance World Tour:
2023
July
08 JUL Toronto, ON, Canada, Rogers Centre
09 JUL Toronto, ON, Canada, Rogers Centre
12 JUL Philadelphia, PA, USA, Lincoln Financial Field
15 JUL Nashville, TN, USA, Nissan Stadium
17 JUL Louisville, KY, USA, L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium (Formerly Cardinal Stadium)
20 JUL Minneapolis, MN, USA, Huntington Bank Stadium
22 JUL Chicago, IL, USA, Soldier Field
26 JUL Detroit, MI, USA, Ford Field
29 JUL East Rutherford, NJ, USA, MetLife Stadium
30 JUL East Rutherford, NJ, USA, MetLife Stadium

August
01 AUG Foxborough, MA, USA, Gillette Stadium
03 AUG Pittsburgh, PA, USA, Acrisure Stadium
05 AUG Landover, MD, USA, FedEx Field
06 AUG Landover, MD, USA, FedEx Field
09 AUG Charlotte, NC, USA, Bank of America Stadium
11 AUG Atlanta, GA, USA, Mercedes-Benz Stadium
12 AUG Atlanta, GA, USA, Mercedes-Benz Stadium
14 AUG Atlanta, GA, USA, Mercedes-Benz Stadium
16 AUG Tampa, FL, USA, Raymond James Stadium
18 AUG Miami, FL, USA, Hard Rock Stadium – Complex
21 AUG St Louis, MO, USA, The Dome at America’s Center
24 AUG Glendale, AZ, USA, State Farm Stadium
26 AUG Las Vegas, NV, USA, Allegiant Stadium
27 AUG Las Vegas, NV, USA, Allegiant Stadium
30 AUG Santa Clara, CA, USA, Levi’s Stadium

September
01 SEP Inglewood, CA, USA, SoFi Stadium
02 SEP Inglewood, CA, USA, SoFi Stadium
04 SEP Inglewood, CA, USA, SoFi Stadium
11 SEP Vancouver, BC, Canada, BC Place Stadium
13 SEP Seattle, WA, USA, Lumen Field at Lumen Field Event Complex – Complex
18 SEP Kansas City, MO, USA, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
21 SEP Arlington, TX, USA, AT&T Stadium
23 SEP Houston, TX, USA, NRG Stadium at NRG Park – Complex
24 SEP Houston, TX, USA, NRG Stadium at NRG Park – Complex
27 SEP New Orleans, LA, USA, Caesars Superdome

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