House of Deréon
Encyclopedia
Ready-to-wear
Ready-to-wear or prêt-à-porter is the term for factory-made clothing, sold in finished condition, in standardized sizes, as distinct from made to measure or bespoke clothing tailored to a particular person's frame. Off-the-peg is sometimes used for items which are not clothing.Ready-to-wear has...
fashion line introduced by singer and actress Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
and her mother/stylist Tina Knowles
Tina Knowles
Célestine Ann "Tina" Knowles is an American fashion designer known for her House of Deréon brand. She is perhaps best known as the mother of singers Beyoncé Knowles and Solange Knowles, and was the wife of Mathew Knowles, who managed Destiny's Child and then Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland until...
. The style and concept is inspired by three generations of women in their family, with the name "Deréon" paying tribute to Beyoncé's maternal grandmother, Agnèz Deréon (Mother of Tina Knowles). House of Deréon is not to be confused with its sister and partner line, a junior line simply titled Deréon.
House of Deréon
Expanding the brand, BeyoncéBeyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
and her sister Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
launched the less expensive junior line Deréon. Deréon was introduced in 2006. The tag line for Deréon is "Where the sidewalk and catwalk meet". This line includes more casualwear, such as sweatpants and embroidered hooded sweatshirts. Both women are models for both clothing lines and are featured on most marketing campaigns. In 2007, members of Beyoncé's touring band, Suga Mama appeared in print ads.
House of Deréon was announced to the media in September 2004, by Tina and Beyoncé Knowles. House of Deréon's tagline is "Couture.Kick.Soul" which represents the three generation of women. Agnèz Deréon is the "soul," Tina Knowles is the "couture," and Beyonce is the "kick." While Beyoncé was performing in the group Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, her mother Tina would design and sew their outfits, especially when the group was first starting out and did not have much money or access to designer clothing. Part of what called attention to Destiny's Child, besides their obvious talent, was their one-of-a-kind fashions . Their style set them apart , yet gave the group cohesion as a similar style, color or garment was worn by all the members.
The fashion line was first introduced on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
, and was also featured on The Tyra Banks Show
The Tyra Banks Show
The Tyra Banks Show, also known as and shortened to Tyra or The Tyra Show, is an American talk show hosted by Tyra Banks. The last new episode aired on Friday, May 28, 2010.-2005-2009: Syndication:...
. The clothing mixes hip-hop influences, such as its use of denim, with ultrafeminine flourishes like embroidery and ruffles. In an interview with Ebony magazine Beyoncé said "I love the clothes from the '70s, my mother's clothes. I love clothes from the '40s, my grandmother's style, so elegant. We wanted to take elements from my grandmother's legacy—the beaded lace, lush colors, fine fabrics—and mix them with. N clothes from my mother's generation and my generation."
Often featured, such as on the back pockets of jeans, is the agu
Agu
Agu is an Igbo surname. The word Agu means Lion.Here are some people that use the name Agu.* Agu Casmir , Nigerian professional soccer player* Alloysius Agu , Nigerian former football goalkeeper...
(this is often confused with the fleur de lis which is commonly featured on the back pockets of Deréon jeans (introduced in 2006, House of Deréon's junior line.) Additionally in the line's design are styles that allude to Agnèz Deréon's era, such as retro pencil skirt
Pencil skirt
A pencil skirt is a slim-fitting skirt with a straight, narrow cut. Generally the hem falls to, or just below, the knee and is tailored for a close fit. It is named for its shape: long and slim like a pencil.-Style:...
s. It is reported that Beyoncé has an active role in the House of Deréon's design department, approving and discussing fashion designs and ideas. As for the line's latest venture, Beyonce and her mom have designed a collection of vintage-inspired dresses that will be available at Bloomingdale's. The line is based on the 50's-style dresses that Beyonce wore for her role as Etta James in the film Cadillac Records.
Beyoncé also mentions the clothing line in the song "Get Me Bodied
Get Me Bodied
"Get Me Bodied" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. The song was written by Beyoncé Knowles, Sean Garrett, Solange Knowles, Angela Beyince, Makeba Riddick, and Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, and produced by Swizz Beatz, Beyoncé and Sean Garrett, for Knowles' second solo studio...
", from the album B'Day
B'Day
B'Day is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé Knowles, released on September 4, 2006 by Columbia Records in collaboration with Music World Music and Sony Urban Music. It was released to coincide with Knowles' twenty-fifth birthday. The album was originally planned for a...
, and in her song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
", from the 2008 album I Am... Sasha Fierce. House of Dereon Goes Global LF USA Acquires Beyond Productions.
London launch
Following her appearance at New York Fashion WeekNew York Fashion Week
The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, branded Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in 2009, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world .-History:The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first...
, Beyoncé traveled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to debut the House of Deréon Autumn/Winter "Global Nomad" collection at Selfridges
Selfridges
Selfridges, AKA Selfridges & Co, is a chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The flagship store in London's Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK and was opened on 15 March 1909.More recently, three other stores have been...
during London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week is an apparel trade show held in London, England twice each year, in February and September. It is one of the "Big Four" fashion weeks, along with New York Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.-Organization:...
. Celebrities like Chipmunk
Chipmunk (rapper)
Jahmaal Noel Fyffe known by his stage name Chipmunk, is a British hip hop rapper and songwriter from Tottenham, London....
, Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding
Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is an English singer-songwriter. In 2010 she became only the second artist to both top the BBC's annual Sound of... poll, and win the Critics' Choice Award at the BRIT Awards in the same year, following Adele's win of both in 2008...
, Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is a British R&B and pop recording artist who rose to fame after winning the fifth series of British television series The X Factor in 2008...
, and Rita Ora
Rita Ora
Rita Sahatçiu Ora is an Kosovar-born British dramatic mezzo-soprano, recording artist and actress. She is currently signed to Roc Nation.-Early life and career:...
attended on the show. Beyoncé Knowles appeared wearing a black sequin suit with her mother Tina Knowles on stage. During an interview with CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Beyoncé Knowles revealed the inspiration behind her Autumn/Winter collection saying,
"This collection was inspired by a lot of my travels. I did a world tour, I traveled to Asia, Brazil, all over the world and I saw such beauty and my mother traveled with me and we decided we should mix these great cultures together and make something original and beautiful, and this show celebrates the global nomad, and one day at the rate we're going which is such a beautiful thing, there won't be all these different races we'll all just be mixed up and beautiful and that is so wonderful exciting and refreshing you know we have the mixtures of the African hair wraps and some of the Asian prints and we mix it with different textures sequins and gold jewelery and it just becomes very refreshing.
September 17, 2011 marked the official launch in London at Selfridges of House of Deréon International Collection by Beyoncé and Tina Knowles via a fashion show featuring both the Autumn-Winter and Holiday 2011 collections. The House of Deréon fashion collection launch at Selfridges is a global exclusive - the line was previously only available in the USA.
Agnèz Beyincé
Agnèz Beyincé (born born Agnès DeRouen; pronounced dare-ay-on or duh-RAHN) (1924 – 1984) was a LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
native, whose birth surname and passion for creating beauty from the mundane is the inspiration for House of Deréon, a fashion line founded by her daughter, Tina Knowles
Tina Knowles
Célestine Ann "Tina" Knowles is an American fashion designer known for her House of Deréon brand. She is perhaps best known as the mother of singers Beyoncé Knowles and Solange Knowles, and was the wife of Mathew Knowles, who managed Destiny's Child and then Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland until...
, and Tina Knowles's daughter, Beyonce Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
.
Agnèz Deréon was born on July 1, 1924 in Delcambre, Louisiana
Delcambre, Louisiana
Delcambre is a town in Iberia and Vermilion parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located twelve miles east of Abbeville on Louisiana Highway 14 in the Cajun Heartland of Acadiana. The Delcambre Canal, also known as Bayou Carlin, passes through the town and is home for much of the local fishing...
, a town near the city of New Iberia, Louisiana
New Iberia, Louisiana
New Iberia is a city in and the parish seat of Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States, 30 miles southeast of Lafayette. In 1900, 6,815 people lived in New Iberia; in 1910, 7,499; and in 1940, 13,747...
.Deréon was the daughter of Eugène Gustave "Eugenie" DeRouen (1884-1940) and Odilia Broussard (Daughter of E.R. Broussard (of white French ancestry) and Josephine Lesser (of Creole ancestry, who was quarter African American)). She and her family were Louisiana Créoles
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
. Self-taught, she became a well-known seamstress
Sewing
Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era...
catering to private clients in Louisiana. She was accustomed to tailoring pieces that stood out by decorating the fabrics she used with such embellishments as embroidery, appliques and smocking. Incorporating materials such as lace, beads and jeweled buttons, were just some of the ingredients that Deréon used to make her style unique, according to the House of Deréon official website.
Deréon later married Lumis Albert Beyincé (Boyancé) of Abbeville, Louisiana
Abbeville, Louisiana
Abbeville is a town in and the parish seat of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, United States, 150 miles west of New Orleans. The population was 12,257 at the 2010 census...
, at which point her surname changed from Deréon to Beyincé. Lumis Beyincé was the son of Alexandre Beyincé (Boyancé) and Marie Olivier. The couple relocated to Galveston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
where they raised their family (some of the Beyincé relatives still live in Galveston). Both Agnèz and Lumis Beyincé were French-speaking Creoles of predominantely French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, Native-American and additionally African-American descent.
The Beyincé family was fairly poor, yet upwardly mobile. The couple made many sacrifices to see that their children matriculated through private school and received a proper education. In an interview with Ebony
Ebony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
magazine, Tina Knowles recalls that her mother made altar boy robes and other garments for the church so her children could attend Catholic schools.
Controversy
In May 2008, the fashion line released advertisements for its girls line called "The Deréon Girls Collection". The fashion line infuriated critics when the advertisement displayed seven-year-old girls in full makeup and high heels. Conservative critic Michelle MalkinMichelle Malkin
Michelle Malkin is an American conservative blogger, political commentator, and author. Her weekly syndicated column appears in a number of newspapers and websites. She is a Fox News Channel contributor and has been a guest on MSNBC, C-SPAN, and national radio programs...
has given the most intense criticism of the advertisement invoking JonBenet Ramsey
JonBenét Ramsey
JonBenét Patricia Ramsey was an American child beauty pageant contestant who was murdered in her home in Boulder, Colorado, in 1996. The six-year-old's body was found in the basement of the family home nearly eight hours after she was reported missing. She had been struck on the head and strangled...
's image and dubbing the child models as "Little Girls Gone Wild", also adding "...Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
launched a girls clothing line that makes Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
's bare-backed glam session look like a Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...
photo shoot." A poll online on the Washington Post website has stated that 62% of the readers believe the advertisements oversexualize young girls.