Bridal Designer Alon Livné on Creating Beyoncé's Custom Looks

ICYMI: Beyoncé dropped her second visual album, Black Is King, last week on Disney+. And while it exceeded the usual expectations of a Beyoncé work—beautiful vocals, powerful choreography, enchanting cinematography—what we noticed was the fashion. Not because of the grandeur or individuality (although that definitely caught our attention), but because of the designer she enlisted to create the clothes: bridal designer Alon Livné.

Yes, a wedding dress designer was the creative force behind three of the stunning looks in the film. Of course, as soon as we watched Black Is King and realized Livné was responsible for the fashion, we had to get the designer on the phone. What was his inspiration? Will these gowns influence his next bridal collection? And what was it like designing for Queen Bey!? The Israeli designer answered all that and more—including a sneak peek of his upcoming bridal collection!

Livné, who has both bridal and ready-to-wear lines, is no stranger to high-profile fashion nor Beyoncé. He created a few outfits for her Miss Carter tour in 2015 and has designed looks for other A-listers like Lady Gaga, Naomi Campbell, Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez in the past. So, it was no surprise when Beyoncé's stylist Zerina Akers called him to collaborate on the then-top secret project.

"[Zerina] told me she's working on a very big project but she [couldn't] tell me exactly what it was," Livné tells Brides. "She sent me an inspiration board with different kinds of images from Black culture, from African culture, from movies, art, nature...and she asked me to make some sketches." Those sketches ultimately turned into three custom looks for the film, an opportunity Livné describes as an "adventure."

Adding, "I didn't know exactly what it [was] going to be for. But, you know, when you're working with people [at] this level, you must be sure that it's going to be amazing."

The Regal White Gown

The first one of Livné's creations appears when Beyoncé stands hand-in-hand with men, women and children all dressed in white. Meant to look like royalty, Livné explains he wanted to combine traditional royal garb with modern elements. "I didn't want to create something that looks vintage or look too much [like] a specific inspiration. The mission for me was take the inspiration and create something new."

Livné's experience as wedding dress designer did contribute to the final product, too. The off-the-shoulder, long-sleeved organza bodice paired with the twined skirt combined classic and dramatic bridal elements with casual, bohemian vibes, all with a couture edge. "I'm making a lot of wedding dresses so for me to work with different shades of white and ivory to create something soft, unique and very special was nice. I'm always working with white fabrics and these materials [so he enjoyed creating] something that's out of the box—that doesn't look exactly like a wedding dress, but [is] still a white gown."

The Dramatic Red Coat

At first glance, Livné's floor-length crimson coat (which Beyoncé paired with a latex bodysuit and thigh-high boots) appears to be made of fur but it's actually constructed with thousands of strands of tulle that Livné sewed together himself.

"The red coat was inspired by red flowers that I had some pictures of in my mood board," he explains, revealing he intended "to create something very dramatic and very sexy with a lot of passion in the color."

The Winged "Meringue" Dress

The most bridal of the three designs and perhaps one of the most memorable looks from the film is Livné's winged white mini dress (a piece fans have dubbed the "meringue" dress). Inspired by the wings of an angel, Beyoncé dons the dress while walking through a paradise landscape.

It took Livné a week to create this look alone, handmaking each piece and delicately draping the organza silk fabric.

And if you're a bride-to-be who loves this gown as much as we do, Livné's most recent bridal collection includes gowns inspired by Beyoncé's angelic outfit. He reveals, "I have a dress in the latest collection called Athena and the Athena look is from exactly the same fabric and material as the angel look that I made for Beyoncé."

As for Livné's next project? Brides can expect a diverse collection of wedding dresses in his upcoming line. "I think the new collection that I'm working on now is very unique because it combines different kinds of brides," he says. Think soft gowns with lace details and pearls for the ultra-feminine bride and asymmetric, runway-inspired looks for the bold bride."

If his creations for Beyoncé are any indication, Livné's future collection will not disappoint. And if watching Black Is King isn't on your to-do list yet, add it to the top of the list—you might just discover your new favorite bridal designer.