Japanese designer Hajime Sorayama accused Beyoncé of plagiarizing his designs for her Renaissance tour. The Grammy-winning singer, 42, faced a major controversy as Sorayama claimed on Monday, through several Instagram posts, that she did not seek his permission before presumably incorporating his futuristic sketches into her tour visuals. Despite the allegations, Beyoncé’s fans swiftly dismissed the claims.
Sorayama took to Instagram, addressing Beyoncé directly with a caption that read, “Hey @beyonce ? You should have officially approached me, allowing me to create superior work for you, just like my man @theweeknd ✊.” The caption accompanied a slideshow of five photos, comparing his artwork to some of Beyoncé’s performance graphics and outfits.
Sorayama’s Accusation: Beyoncé’s Tour Visuals under Scrutiny
In the initial picture, the face of the singer of “Break My Soul” is showcased on a large screen across one of the many stages. She is observed wearing a chrome, alien-inspired headpiece that descends onto her forehead, adorned with pointed cylinders over her ears. Completing the robotic ensemble, she accessorized the look with silver lip rings.
The post includes additional images illustrating the designer’s futuristic concepts, which remarkably resemble Sorayama’s designs. These visuals depict women adorned in headpieces strikingly similar to Sorayama’s, paired with matching geometric outfits that bear a resemblance to fitted-in suits.
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It’s inspired from Metropolis, Mugler, Gaultier
However, Beyoncé’s supporters swiftly came to her defense. One user stated, “She’s wearing Thierry Mugler based on an archive Mugler look that referenced Metropolis. Were you equally upset when she wore a similar headpiece at the 2007 BET awards?” Another commenter expressed understanding of Sorayama’s feelings but pointed out, “This visual has been public for months (more than six months), so expressing outrage now seems like a stretch or an attempt at something.”
Several fans suggested that both Beyoncé and Sorayama drew inspiration from the 1927 German expressionist science-fiction silent film, “Metropolis.” One user emphasized, “Metropolis, Mugler, Gaultier, and more have all done this. You don’t own the Android aesthetic.”
