Like mother, like daughter: Is Blue Ivy already leading the next generation of it girls?
Before celebrity kids like Blue Ivy and North West changed the way we approach kidswear—or more likely their respective mother’s stylists—children, famous or not, were simply seen as children, nothing more, and certainly not as influencers. In my childhood, I was running around in denim dungarees and an oversized floppy sun hat. Safe to say that my parents put comfort and safety before glam and accessories.
Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé, on the other hand, had other plans in mind for their progeny. They dripped their kids out in Balenciaga (pre-scandal, of course), fur jackets and leather trousers. These days, being a celebrity parent is all about looking good and coordinating with your offspring, rather than dressing them up ready for tumbles and mud fights in the playground.
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And it’s safe to say that currently, Blue Ivy is leading the pack of future fashion it girls. Special mention though of course has to go to North, primarily because screaming “What are those? These are clothes,” right in the middle of your stratospherically famous dad’s show does definitely give you an inch of authority on everything fashion and influence.
Once this summer is over, not many will be able to say that they’ve had the privilege of setting foot on the Renaissance tour stage. Blue Ivy, on the other hand, is one of the lucky few to have had that blessing. She is Beyoncé’s daughter after all—it’s called being a nepotism baby for a reason.
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Bey’s first-born surprised concertgoers as she stepped on stage in a silver jumpsuit, matching with her mother for the London show’s crowd. While the 11-year-old’s dance number was a family affair, her growing sense of style and individuality is setting her apart from even her own mother. With Jean-Michel Basquiat-obsessed dad Jay Z involved, this is one stylish family.
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In fact, Blue Ivy has been making fashion history since before she was born. Beyoncé announced her pregnancy with the future fashion icon at the 2011 MTV VMAs by wearing a sequined purple pantsuit that left little to the imagination. This really put Blue Ivy on a path to fashion icon destiny.
More recently, however, we’ve seen the 11-year-old turn her back on tutus and pigtails to really embrace her own style outside that of her mother’s legacy—although I’m sure that she’s constantly rooting through Beyoncé’s wardrobe for goodies.
In 2018, we saw Blue Ivy’s style grow up far beyond that of when most of us were six as she supported her mother at the Grammy’s carrying an almost $3,000 Valentino purse. I was lucky if my parents remembered to slot 20 pence under my pillow for me from the tooth fairy. The following year, the celebrity child attended the live-action Lion King premiere coordinating with her mother in Alexander McQueen. Meanwhile, I was still wearing my older sister’s Gap hoodie to my primary school disco.
Now, we’re really onto the good bits. In 2021, Blue Ivy modelled for, you guessed it, Ivy Park aged just nine. The up-and-coming it girl wasn’t even initially meant to be in the shoot, however, according to her grandmother, Blue saw an opportunity—the world needed to see her modelling abilities.
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At the moment, Blue Ivy is in her Instagram it-girl era without actually having Instagram. She’s only 11 so let’s try to protect her from the dark side of social media for the time being. Reformation, every Instagram girlie’s favourite spot, is currently her go-to brand.
On a trip to Brooklyn Central Library to celebrate her father’s extensive career, Blue Ivy wore a sage green off-the-shoulder slip midi dress. Everything from her subtle jewellery to her bucket hat screamed effortless wealth. It was one of the first times her outfit was finally distinctive from that of Beyoncé.
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This is just the start of Blue Ivy’s style evolution. As she prepares to be offered every brand deal under the sun, we can’t wait to see if she’ll follow in her parents’ musical footsteps or make her own way into the fashion industry. I’m personally hoping for the latter, or perhaps even a bit of both.
