By james art Dressed in bright red against the white costumes of her backup dancers, Rihanna performed her hits during Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show.
Her lavishly stuffed down coat wasn’t just for contrast, though.
The nine-time Grammy Award winner paid tribute to friend and fashion icon, the late Durham native Andre Leon Talley.
Rihanna’s jacket, more comfortable than a coat, was no accident – the singer imitated Tali’s trademark – big and lush coats, capes and scarves.
While confirmation of the singer’s second pregnancy dominated the headlines the following day, the fashion world noticed her unconfirmed nod to Tali’s giant red sleeping bag coat made famous by American designer Norma Kamali.
Tali died on January 18, 2022. at the age of 73.
The former Vogue editor and fashion authority was related to the Barbadian American singer.
“Oh! This moment, this fantasy, what… how… I dream… how did this happen? It’s so beautiful!” Tali raved about Rihanna’s custom Chinese gown when the two spoke on the red carpet at the 2015 MET Gala.
“Ugh, me love a girl from humble beginnings who becomes a big star,” Tali said in a Rihanna video that night. “It’s like the American Dream!
The pair have had numerous encounters, including when Talley interviewed Rihanna in 2014 when she won the Fashion Icon Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
After the Super Bowl performance, Talley’s Instagram page posted a photo of Talley in his coat with a sleeping bag along with several photos and videos of Rihanna on stage.
“When the sun shines, we will shine together. I told you I’d be here forever… I said I’d always be your friend,” the post read.
Talley’s red coat will be auctioned at Christie’s this week as part of the sale of his estate. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Talley’s childhood church in Durham, The News & Observer previously reported.
Durham responds to Talley’s Super Bowl tribute
Tali’s alma mater responded on social media Monday to Rihanna’s sartorial tribute
“The red puffer coat worn by Rihanna during the Super Bowl halftime show is said to have been a tribute to the late NCCU alumnus and fashion icon Andre Leon Talley,” NCCU wrote in a Facebook post. “It is said that the two were close and that wearing the coat was her way of paying her respects.”
SpiritHouse, Durham’s black women-led arts and culture nonprofit, also responded to the tribute.
“Thank you Rihanna for prioritizing yourself, your health and your looks fly all the time. We see your tribute to Andre Leon Talley!” the organization wrote in a Facebook post. “BTW — You all realize that the first pregnant woman to headline a Super Bowl halftime show is historic, right?”