A glistening leopard-print bodysuit by Valentino; a cow-print mini by Burberry; a floral ruffled chiffon number by Mary Katrantzou; a garden party-perfect tiered gown from Erdem... There's no shortage of stunning fashion moments in Beyoncé's Black Is King. The highly anticipated visual album, a love letter to the African diaspora which was released on Friday on Disney+, is a masterclass in performance, cinematography and, of course, music but we've paused, rewound and rewatched the whole thing thanks to its showstopping carousel of outfits, styled by Zerina Akers.
While the red carpet-ready pieces are phenomenal – think Balmain's pleated yellow two-piece, an XXL fuchsia tulle gown by Molly Goddard, and an appearance from Naomi Campbell in a white ruffled Alexander McQueen dress – it's a lesser-known designer who has caught the world's attention. On Sunday night, Adele (also known as the biggest fan in Beyoncé's Beyhive) took to Instagram to pay homage to Black Is King, writing: "Thank you Queen for always making us feel so loved through your art." Kneeling in front of a still from the album, Adele is wearing the same Marine Serre crescent moon print as Beyoncé and her dancers.
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This isn't the first time Bey has worn Serre's pieces: she donned a bodysuit with the same print at a Houston Rockets basketball game back in May last year (in the team's red and black colours, no less). If you're not familiar with the French label, now is the time to get to know – searches for the brand are up 426% according to fashion search engine Lyst, with the crescent moon print top, coming in four colourways and priced at £210, selling out fast. Following internships with Raf Simons at Dior, Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen and Matthieu Blazy at Maison Margiela, Serre's graduate collection caught the eye of Karl Lagerfeld and Phoebe Philo, who were judging the 2017 LVMH Prize. Serre went on to win, becoming the youngest designer to take the award.
Fans including Tracee Ellis Ross, Ariana Grande, Bella Hadid and Dua Lipa have been repping the label since Serre's debut show in AW18, and now the critically acclaimed cult brand sells out everywhere from Browns to Barneys. Blending futuristic and athletic influences, Serre has been lauded for her eco-conscious ethos, using old jeans and bedsheets and recycled fabrics to make 50% of her collections upcycled.
Serre, who was born in Corrèze in southwest France, was set to be a tennis star before an accident changed her course but it seems as though fashion was always her calling. Though paying homage to her past by blending sporty silhouettes with couture design, her eco-futurist ethos seems like the most fitting aesthetic for 2020: her crescent moon is Insta-friendly, memorable and spiritual; her pieces are like a second skin, putting comfort first; and her sustainability credentials spotlight our consumption of fashion at a time when the industry as a whole is reimagining its viability and future.
Her star may have been ascending over the past three years but Marine Serre's crescent moon won't be waning any time soon.