Designer Genes! Meet Tina Knowles: The Superstar Stylist That Beyonce Calls Mom
That's one fashionable family! Behind Beyonce's dazzling parade of diva looks, is her mom Tina Knowles, 53. Tina, who styles her daughter as well as the other members of Destiny's Child, spoke with Star's Shira Levine about the famous mother-daughter duo's working relationship, as well as how much hard work goes into getting Beyonce red-carpet ready. And with the Oscars right around the corner, Tina drops some big hints about what designs are catching her eye this season.
Q: When did you begin styling your daughter?
A: I started when she was seven and doing her first talent show. I made her a
little skirt with polka dots -- it had some ribbing at the bottom. The top had puffy sleeves. She wore polka dots and stripes all the time. That was her thing.
Q: What's it like to work with her?
A: Our working relationship is great. We usually have very similar tastes, and we're constantly learning from each other. When we have a difference in
opinion, we value and respect each other. Sometimes she'll say to me, 'I think we need to make this more modern. Or, 'Let's throw some street in there.' We balance each other.
Q: Do you collaborate?
A: Everything is a collaboration. We're working on costumes now for a video, and she'll sit down and tell me her ideas. Maybe she'll say, 'I want to do neon colors.' For an awards show, we'll go over whether she wants formal or funky. Ty Hunter is her full time stylist and he'll pull stuff for her. Then I go through and I edit what he pulls. We'll have five final things and then she'll pick. For a performance I usually do it all.
Q: How do you choose her red carpet looks?
A: It depends on what she's doing. We don't want her to look the same all
the time since she goes to a lot of events. I'm good for her because I
know her body so well that I can look at something and know if it will fit
right. She's really curvy, so it can be hard fitting into samples. A lot of times the
designers let us alter and change things up a bit. Sometimes Beyonce will
say, 'That will look hotter if it's shorter.'
Q: How has Beyonce's style changed over the years?
A: It's been a lot of things since she's been in the public eye since she was 15. It's a natural progression, and has evolved and gotten better. She has access to better things and bigger designers now. She does glamour well and wears things that flatter her figure. Since she's a very curvy girl, she looks best in more fitted things. She likes to make statements - she's pretty fearless with her statements.
Q: Is Beyonce going to the Oscars? If so, what's she wearing?
A: I think she's going - if her schedule allows it. I'm not sure if I'll go -- probably. We haven't even started on it though. We're just trying to get through these six videos, and tomorrow is the last one. It's a really busy time with premieres and the Golden Globes. We don't always get the chance to plan out what she'll wear two weeks in advance.
Q: Do you style anyone else?
A: Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams [of Destiny's Child], and [Tina's other daughter] Solange. But Solange also styles herself, and I love what she does. I've had several people approach me to style them, but I don't have time right now. The people I want to style are people on the street.
Q: How does working as a stylist compare with working on your fashion line,
House of Dereon?
A: It's a lot of the same -- figuring out what works for people. I bring all my styling to designing the line.
Q: What inspires you this season?
A: I'm elated right now. Everything is really luxe, sparkly and glamorous. I
love how people are getting into colors. I've been looking at Dior and they have beautiful things this season.
Q: Do you think you'll ever show at a fashion week?
A: Some day, hopefully, we'll do that. We want to take our time and do it right. Right now we have a lot of projects and, since we're a new company, we don't have the time. I'm going to do a Tina's Makeover Takeover on The Tyra Banks Show, taking Beyonce's team of hair and makeup people and hitting the streets. I'm always doing makeovers on the street and at church.
Q: What's your favorite look for Beyonce?
A: She's worn so many fabulous things. One I loved, was an amazing Roberto Cavalli dress that she wore on tour. It was all hand done crystals -- thousands of them with beautiful cutouts and draping. It was complete glamour. Another one was a dress I designed for her for the [Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards]. It was a yellow strapless dress. And I had my friend Jose Barrera design a custom-designed broach that ran down her back. It was so old Hollywood.
Q: What do you say to people who put Beyonce on worst dressed lists?
A: That's life. You win some and you lose some. Everyone has opinions. If
someone puts her on the worst dressed list, that's their opinion. That's it.
