Beyoncé’s PARTITION video: Chanel and Louboutin are essence of sexy luxury

Beyoncé’s latest music videos uses Chanel, Louboutin and Rolls-Royce to portray a “visual” of sexy luxury. 

 

Beyoncé has released the third of her latest albums’ 17 “visuals” onto her Youtube Vevo account last week, and in under two weeks it has garnered over 30 million views. 

What those 30 millions views have seen in the PARTITION video is that: 

 

– despite Miley Cyrus pulling a joint out of one its bags at the EMA or smoking/vandalising a high school toilet wearing one its cuffs in Mike WiLL Made It’s 23, Chanel remains a luxury Brand 

 

– Louboutin is (again) the Brand of choice to look sexy yet classy 

 

– Rolls-Royce is the sophisticated luxurious car Brand of choice for Jay-Z when seducing a scantily clad Beyoncé 

 

assemblage 

 

The music video is set in an extravagantly luxurious old-school mansion and shows Beyoncé letting out her inner nymphomaniac as she wears various sexy outfits for the benefit of her real-life husband Jay-Z. The only three Brands that clearly appear are the aforementioned Chanel, Louboutin and Rolls-Royce. 

A Chanel perfume bottle evening bag features in the background of Beyoncé’s room as she changes into her outfit. In this context the Brand is associated with sophisticated luxury and sexyness. Whilst the French fashion Brand has been associated with sexyness in being worn by minimally clothed Miley Cyrus in 23 by Mike Will Made It, this depiction in the midst of a song and video dedicated to sneakers hardly brought to mind the luxury found in Chanel marketing. Furthermore, most Chanel depictions in Billboard Year-End 100 singles for 2013 were in relation to men (namely Future and 2 Chainz). 

This video actually brings to mind Rihanna’s 2013 video for POUR IT UP both in the stripper-like dancing and the portrayal of luxury Brands. 

As the video progresses and Mrs Carter begins her extremely sexual dance routine one can notice the red soles of her and her backup dancers’ bejeweled high heels. This depiction associates Louboutin with luxury, sexyness and, ironically, dancing (see article on Elisabeth Banks’ struggle in walking in Louboutins). 

 

Other than Beyoncé, the main protagonist of the music video is Jay-Z who is seen puffing away on a cigar and generally enjoying the show put on by his wife. The clip ends with the the couple getting down to business in the comfort of his 1963 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III. The British luxury car manufacturer gets, by far the most exposure multiple shot showing the renowned hood ornament and some dedicated solely to showing off the vehicle. 

This portrayal associates Rolls-Royce with Jay-Z as well as luxury, sophistication and female attraction.