Beyonce’s LED dress needed “extensive rehearsals” to ensure it worked for her ‘Cowboy Carter Tour’ performances. This innovative fusion of fashion and technology represents one of the most advanced wearable tech garments ever used in a major concert tour.
The 43-year-old singer kicked off her latest concert series in Los Angeles earlier this week and to sing ‘Daughter’, she wore a garment created by Anrealage designer Kunihiko Morinaga, which featured around 35,000 full-color LEDs that transform continuously. The dress contained more LEDs than many professional stage lighting rigs, making it a technical marvel.
The designer collaborated with Mplusplus, a design firm that integrates LEDs into fabrics and also developed a wireless control system for the garment, and it took time to get the lights just right. This collaboration between fashion and technology firms has been gaining significant attention in the entertainment industry.
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“After accepting the offer [to design the dress] I, along with my team, traveled back and forth between Japan and Los Angeles to design and produce an original outfit,” Kunihiko told WWD via email. “The result was a crinoline dress made with our signature ‘Led Textile,’ a flexible fabric capable of displaying shifting colors, patterns and graphics like a liquid crystal screen. The development process involved meticulous attention to both aesthetic and functional details.”
“To ensure visibility in a stadium setting, we enlarged the graphic elements of the LED design and made fine adjustments to brightness levels up until the final stages. The brightness was carefully calibrated to be visible throughout the entire venue.”
“Because synchronization between the dress lighting and the stage lighting was crucial, we conducted extensive rehearsals to perfect the interplay between them. The process required precise timing and coordination between multiple technical teams.”
“Our team controlled the visuals in real time from offstage, syncing the design with the music as the performance unfolded. The system employed cutting-edge wireless technology to ensure flawless operation throughout the performance.”
Kunihiko – who presented a similar high-tech gown during Paris Fashion Week last month – thinks his creation “transcended fashion” from the minute Beyonce wore it. His Paris Fashion Week presentation received critical acclaim, but the collaboration with Beyoncé elevated it to global prominence.
“At Paris Fashion Week, what we presented was a glimpse into the near future — but the moment Beyoncé wore it, it became the present. In that instant, it transcended fashion and became part of culture and history. The impact was immediate and far-reaching, capturing attention across social media platforms worldwide.”
“Creating a one-of-a-kind garment that exists nowhere else in the world — that, to me, is the essence of fashion design. Beyoncé always reminds us of the true power of creation.” The uniqueness of the piece has already sparked discussions about its place in fashion history.
On stage, the dress starts in a tartan pattern before transitioning into a half-blue motif, then crimson sequins, black lace motif, and fazzling gold sequens before shifting again to create a “truly epic” moment. Each transition was perfectly synchronized with the music, creating a complete sensory experience.
“It eventually shifts into tricolour noise, evoking the American flag — red, white and blue — which then dissolves into monochrome noise. This sequence was designed to reflect the emotional journey of the song.”
“From there, stained glass motifs reminiscent of a cathedral appear and evolve rapidly, culminating in an explosion of light like bursting stars. The effect created a sacred, almost spiritual atmosphere for this particular moment in the performance.”
“Finally, the imagery fades into cosmic darkness, and light rains down once more as the dress reaches its climactic glow. The visual narrative was crafted to complement the lyrical content of ‘Daughter.'”
“It was a truly epic visual performance.” The dress has been praised by fashion critics and technology experts alike for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in performance wear.
The garment represents a significant advancement in wearable technology for live performances, combining artistic vision with technical innovation. Fashion and technology publications have already begun analyzing the dress as a potential trendsetter for future stage costumes.
Fans attending the concert shared thousands of videos of the dress in action, making it one of the most talked-about elements of the tour’s opening night. The marriage of high fashion and advanced technology continues to be a hallmark of Beyoncé‘s visual presentations throughout her career.
