Beyoncé’s Second Ivy Park Drop Disrupts a History of Whitewashed Athleisure

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bernhard

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You asked, the queen answered.

After hearing our prayers and seeing the Beyhive on Twitter, Beyoncé has blessed us yet again with a second Ivy Park collection.

The 39-year-old singer revealed looks from her highly anticipated collaboration with sportswear giant Adidas on Instagram. The collection dubbed “Drip 2,” features everything from socks to sweatpants in pastel and neon hues.

Comfy clothes not your vibe? No worries– the queen’s power knows no bounds. The collection also features cropped blazers and structured bodice unitards for all those long work from home Zoom calls.

Prices haven’t been released yet, although last drop’s numbers can give us an indication on how low our bank accounts will be once we buy everything– if we beat the bots, that is. Last collection ranged anywhere from for accessories to 0 for outerwear.

This round, Ivy Park is more inclusive than ever, with sizes ranging from XXXS to 4X and gender neutral garments taking center stage. Drip 2’s #ThisIsMyPark campaign takes an inner look at what drives us to be better. In the midst of a pandemic, Ivy Park aims to transport us all to a place of balance and urges us to find our focus in a crazy reality.

A quick peak at the Instagram comments of the announcement posts and you’ll already know what to expect– the Beyhive. As usual, Mrs. Carter’s fans have been praising the collection across social media.

On Twitter, users have been joking about their PR packages– prior to the first Ivy Park drop Missy Elliot, Solange, Cardi B, Reese Witherspoon, Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland, Zendaya, and Kendall Jenner all received giant orange boxes on their doorstep. If you weren’t a celebrity, good luck getting your hands on anything. The collection sold out almost immediately.

What might look like stan memes reveal something more. Ivy Park, and Beyoncé as a whole, has been able to rally around a generation of young, stylish, and conscious consumers supporting a successful Black woman.

For years, athleisure and style have been defined through the lens of whiteness. What Lululemon leggings are to privileged soccer moms is what Ivy Park is to young, queer Gen-Z and Millennial shoppers. Beyoncé still remains the first Black woman to own 100% of an athleisure brand after buying it back from British retailer TOPSHOP in November 2018.

January’s release was a refreshing disruption to the athletic space with bold colors and sleek silhouettes dominating the collection. Ivy Park wasn’t just yoga pants, it was a celebration of representation, artistry, and style.

An an interview earlier this year, the Black Is King director said that representation goes far beyond race and color. Ivy Park is all about exploring the in-betweens of femininity and masculinity, challenging norms and pushing back against society.

“For me, it is about amplifying the beauty in all of us,” the singer said. “We are living in a beautiful time of real progression towards acceptance.”

If Ivy Park Drip 2’s loud-and-proud colorway doesn’t showcase the beauty that lives in all of us, maybe the sock shoes will.

The Ivy Park Drip 2 launches October 30 on Adidas.com


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