A DERRY FASHION designer was the man behind Rihanna’s eye-catching outfit at last night’s halftime Super Bowl performance.
Rihanna made her long-awaited return to the stage at the Super Bowl with a career-spanning medley of hits.
The megastar appeared at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona mid-air on a floating stage, donning an all-red ensemble that matched a breastplate with a bright red jumpsuit.
The all-red ensemble was the work of Magherafelt native Jonathan Anderson, who is the creative director of Spanish luxury house Loewe.
In a message on Instagram, Anderson said he was “so excited to have been part of this unforgettable moment”.
Loewe designed a flight-inspired look for Rihanna’s halftime show and Anderson hailed the popstar as a “true icon”.
“Working with her to bring these stage looks to life feels like a wild, wonderful dream,” said Anderson.
Anderson posted a picture of the breastplate on his Instagram feed, where Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, and Marc Jacobs were among the pop and fashion figures to express their approval.
Anderson graduated from the London College of Fashion in 2005 and founded JW Anderson three years later.
In 2013, LVMH took a minority stake in his fashion label and he was also named as the new creative director of Loewe.
Meanwhile, for many it was Rihanna’s baby bump that dominated the conversation last night.
She had teased the news by saying that she would be taking to the stage with a “special guest”.
Representatives for the singer then confirmed the speculation to trade magazines Rolling Stone and The Hollywood Reporter: Rihanna is pregnant with her second child.
The 34-year-old welcomed her first child, a son, with rapper A$AP Rocky in May.
On stage, she delivered her club smashes including “Where Have You Been” to “Only Girl (In the World)” and the time-tested “We Found Love.”
“Rude Boy,” “Work” and “All of the Lights” were also on the setlist, as a sea of dancers performed stunning acrobatics.
“Wild Thoughts,” “Run This Town” and, of course, “Umbrella” and “Diamonds” rounded out the show.
She did not, as many stars do, bring out any guest artists, commanding the stage all on her own.
The evening marked a reversal after Rihanna had previously turned down the gig in protest of the National Football League’s handling of race issues.
But in accepting the coveted slot this time around, the Barbados-born singer said it was “important for representation.”
“It’s important for my son to see this.”
Since releasing “Anti” in early 2016, Robyn Rihanna Fenty has taken a break from recording but has by no means taken it easy: she’s become a billionaire, parlaying her music achievements into successful makeup, lingerie and high-fashion brands.
Since her last album, Rihanna has performed occasional features and more recently recorded music for the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack.
But the album she’s been teasing for years looks to remain some way off still.
-With additional reporting from © AFP 2023