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Celebrity

14th Feb 2023

Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime ‘fit was created by a Derry designer

Her

By Fiona Frawley

Irish twins and an Irish designer.

For those of us who’ve been eagerly awaiting the slightest hint of any movement from Rihanna that wasn’t the wielding of a Fenty gloss bomb wand, the Super Bowl halftime show was like all our Christmases come at once.

As we awoke yesterday morning, footage of her popping and locking (to the best of her ability while heavily pregnant, in heels and balancing on a precarious platform propelled high above the stadium) to a medley of her finest bangers filled our timelines, and we received it gratefully, like the first gulp of water after a particularly taxing bleep test.

Those who’ve been consuming RiRi content at a rapid rate will no doubt have also noticed her vibrant red, flight-inspired jumpsuit, pulsating amidst the army of white-clad dancers.

Well, if the look caught your eye, you may be intrigued to know it was the handiwork of an Irish designer – Derry-born Jonathan Anderson of luxury fashion house Loewe.

In a post on Instagram about the ‘fit, Jonathan wrote:

“I’m so excited to have been part of this unforgettable moment. Rihanna is a true icon, and working with her to bring these stage looks to life feels like a wild, wonderful dream.”

Loewe said of the custom piece: “Comprised of multiple layers and textures, the look’s bold red catsuit formed a sleek foundation in silk jersey, with a matching cotton canvas flight suit and a made-to-measure corset in sculpted leather.”

Anderson, 38, is a native of Magherafelt in Co Derry. His mother Heather Buckley was a teacher, while his father Willie Anderson was a renowned Irish rugby player and coach, according to Irish Central.

In 2005, Anderson graduated from the London College of Fashion after a stint in Washington, DC where he studied acting followed by a period of working for Brown Thomas in Dublin.

In 2019, the designer told the Examiner that he attributes his ability to sell a collection’s narrative, his storytelling, to his Irishness, calling literature the country’s greatest export. He shares his mother’s love of Seamus Heaney, one of whose readings he was brought to as a child.

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