Before Beyoncé became a global icon, before she won 35 Grammys and received Oscar nods, she was a little girl in Houston watching her mama, Tina Knowles, at a sewing machine.
That same spirit, handcrafting every detail, making something extraordinary out of what you’ve got, just earned Beyoncé her first Emmy Award and put her halfway to the elusive EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony).
@netflix Category is… Primetime Emmy and flawless. Congrats @beyonce 🐝 🏆 #BeyoncéBowl ♬ original sound – Netflix
The “Texas Hold ’Em” singer took home the prize for Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programming for her Netflix special Beyoncé Bowl, the epic halftime show reimagined for streaming. Costumes have always been part of her storytelling, and her relationship with fashion runs through her family history.
The Beyoncé Bowl wardrobe was a masterclass in symbolism. Every outfit was intentional, referencing Black culture, particularly the often-overlooked history of Black cowboys in Texas. Denim by Willy Chavarria stood as more than just a fashion choice; it was a nod to Brown and Black identity in America. Dancers wore fur chaps as a tribute to Black cowboy traditions.
@thehivecorner #beyonceemmy #emmyawards #egot #beyhive #beyoncefans ♬ original sound – thehivecorner
Other looks honored HBCUs, with sorority-inspired black and gold costumes saluting historically Black colleges and the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. White ensembles carried multiple meanings: Spirituality, solidarity and the women’s suffrage movement, while also recognizing the role of Black people in Texas history. There were even nods to Pimp C with a white fur coat, plus style tributes to icons like Michael Jackson and Marlene Dietrich.
@ebonixeatria a well deserved Emmy win for Beyonce Bowl! @Beyoncé @Parkwood Entertainment #fyp #beyoncé #emmys #cowboycarter #beyoncebowl ♬ original sound – EBONI XEATRIA
While everyone is focused on this achievement, I was focused on the generations of women before Beyoncé who inspired her sense of fashion. Her mother, Tina Knowles, didn’t just style her daughter; she shaped her approach to artistry. Tina learned her skills from her mother, Agnéz Beyincé, a woman who could make a dress from just about anything. Even during tough financial times, Agnéz made sure her children stepped out looking like a million bucks, sewing clothes that turned heads on their block in Galveston.
For Knowles, fashion was never just about looking good. It was about dignity, self-respect and showing the world that you deserve to be seen. She believed children absorb how their mothers treat themselves, and she modeled pride in every stitch.
That philosophy shaped Beyoncé from the start. Back in the early Destiny’s Child days, when the group was still performing for customers inside Knowles’ Houston salon, Knowles was behind the sewing machine, designing every look. She created costumes for talent shows, music videos and award shows, giving Destiny’s Child a visual identity that matched their ambition. By 2004, she’d turned that passion into House of Deréon, a fashion line for young women inspired by her mother’s name and style.
So when Beyoncé’s name was called at the Emmys for costume design, it wasn’t just a win for her. It was a win for three generations of women who transformed limited resources into limitless expression.
If Beyoncé succeeds, she would join a very short list of Black women EGOT winners, including Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Hudson. But even if those final letters never come, Beyoncé’s impact is already EGOT-level in Houston’s eyes.
Her career has been a masterclass in working smart, staying rooted and breaking barriers without waiting for permission. From performing on small stages in matching outfits made at home to commanding the world’s biggest platforms, she’s carried her hometown pride with her.
