London designer says working on Beyonce's album was 'career-defining moment'

A Notting Hill Carnival costume designer picked to work on Beyoncé’s Black Is King movie said the opportunity was a “career-defining” moment.

Melissa Simon-Hartman contributed designs to the American superstar’s visual album, released last month.

The designer, from Kilburn, was speaking ahead of this weekend’s Carnival, which is being held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. Six of her costumes will be worn by performers at the event, which will include pre-recorded music sets.

She told the Standard how she received an Instagram message from Beyoncé’s stylist Zerina Akers on the Monday of last year’s carnival, asking her if she wanted to be involved in a secret project.

It was later revealed to be Black Is King, a visual companion to the album The Lion King: The Gift.

“I said: ‘Well, yeah, of course I do.’ I didn’t have to think about it.” She was given 24 hours to submit her designs, themed around the black pieces of a chess board. She was commissioned for the project hours later — and given two weeks to create seven looks. All were used in the movie, with one worn by Beyoncé.

Ms Simon-Hartman said: “I saw it for the first time when everyone else saw Black Is King. I had a year of anxiety wondering if I made the cut. I was pleased when I saw all my pieces had made the cut. The one I designed for Beyoncé, she was wearing… thank goodness.”

She said the job was “career-defining” and gave her a professional boost: “Being recognised by Beyoncé’s team was amazing. I guess it just proved to me that I should keep going, that I have the right creative vision and I am on the right path.”

Six of Simon-Hartman’s costumes will be worn by performers during this year’s Carnival celebrations - which this year is going digital for the first time in its 54-year history.

This year’s event - which will include pre-recorded music sets from sound systems, calypso dancers, and steel bands - kicks off with a countdown on the big screen at Piccadilly Circus. A trailer called Colours of the Carnival, which was shot on Samsung S20 devices, will be shown on the screens throughout Friday - with the designer’s work showcased in the short film.

Simon-Hartman said she was excited about the new format carnival as: “It is innovative and creative.”

She also said it could be a “great showcase” for her fellow designers.

“It would be nice to see other carnival designers to get in to mainstream design,” she said. “What we do isn’t that different to what people do in high fashion.”

Samsung, official partner of Notting Hill Carnival 2020: Access All Areas has created an exclusive trailer and series of mini-films, highlighting their 8K technology which enables you to ‘Shoot in 8K’ with the Samsung Galaxy S20 and ‘Watch in 8K’ with QLED 8K. The content will officially launch this year’s Carnival with a live countdown on the Piccadilly Screen, and will be available to watch in 8K online at www.NHCarnival.org