Have your taken a look at Beyoncé’s Instagram feed lately? The answer is yes, of course, because how could you not? Since September 10, Queen Bey has made a habit of dedicating entire rows to her outfit posts (sometimes, including her own music videos). The three pictures turn our everything icon into a fashion blogger, if you will, allowing her to tell a story with her clothing. But what happens to the brands Beyoncé tags in said photos? If you’re Samantha Black, the designer behind Sammy B Designs, the label she's wearing in her latest series, the answer is simple: “My heart still hasn’t calmed down from the excitement I have,” she says.
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Black is Pratt Institute graduate who worked for Jill Stuart and Michael Kors, before moving to London, where she worked with the late Alexander McQueen. Before launching her own line in 2005, she honed her skills at an Aeropostale-owned label, Jimmy'z, where she was the head designer. Now, she’s using everything she's learned, in combination with her individual style, to create Sammy B Designs, which she describes as “chic, fun, funky-fresh, and unmistakably New York.” And clearly it's working, considering she can count Beyoncé as a fan.
In the middle of July, Black got a call from Beyoncé’s stylist Zerina Akers. Akers owned a pair of wide-leg Sammy B Designs pants and thought the style would be “dope for Beyoncé.” The timing was perfect, as Black had plans to debut a skinny-leg version with her fall collection. So, Black created a matching jacket and sent it off to Bey's team. She “didn’t ask too many questions,” though, because, as she puts it, she was nervous about whether or not Beyoncé would like it.
About a month later, Akers called Black back and asked how she would like to be credited, confirming Beyoncé had worn the outfit and would more than likely post it on her social media channels or her website. But Beyoncé never posted anything. Disheartened, Black thought she missed her moment. “Then boom! Literally when I did not expect it,” she says of the happening. She’s since seen an uptick in sales, with the wrap jacket ($150) and the skinny trouser pant ($110) both selling out. Currently, she’s in the process of making more, so you’ll still able to shop the look. And though you'll have to wait a bit for it to ship, really, that's just a small price to pay for a piece of clothing that's received the Beyoncé stamp-of-approval.