Beyonce's 'Partition' Music Video: Look By Look
Driver, roll up the partition, please. I can only watch Beyonce's "Partition" music video in private because this ish is WAY TOO STEAMY. *douses face with a cup of cold water, fans self vigorously* Members of the esteemed BeyHive (of which I am most definitely a part) have been watching this vid—along with the other 16 from her visual album—since late last year, but it just dropped in full for the world wide web to view today! Directed by Jake Nava and styled by B. Akerlund (plus Ty Hunter, obvi), the short follows Mrs. Carter through a VIVID mid-breakfast fantasy sequence.
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
We open on King Bey posted up in very Downton Abbey eating quarters, nomming on breakfast and tea (presumably with her hubby Jay Z). She's clad in a crisp Chanel robe, CC certified earrings, black-rimmed Tom Ford cat-eye reading glasses, and a turquoise silk lingerie set with black lace details from La Perla Neglige. Oh, also BRIGHT red lips and nails.
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
Then, we break into the fantasy sequence. Bey's first imagined look is the most opulent of the bunch: a shimmery burlesque 'fit complete with a tiny top hat. (Actually, it's a black, beaded Victoria Grant hat dripping with tassels if we're gonna get technical.) Below that, she wears a rhinestone encrusted corset from the Christian LaCroix archives, fingerless lace Chanel gloves, and a crystal mask by Atelier Swarovski.
A GIF from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records/GIF: AZPI Tumblr
Here's what it all looks like in motion. *GULP*
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
Then, the cameras catch Bey solo dolo on a gravel road, spotlit by the headlights of a car, doing her best impression of a flasher. Since this is the Beyonce version, she's dressed in a Maison Michel Trilby Hat worn slightly askew with an Eric Javits net underneath, an Azzedine Alaia python trenchcoat, a black tulle Jean Paul Gaultier for La Perla body suit embellished with braiding, La Perla stockings, Larare suede suspenders, Chanel fingerless gloves, red Louboutins, and oh yea, some archival Lynn Ban chandelier earrings.
A GIF from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records/GIF: Halsyon Tumblr
Here's what that looks like in motion.
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
A few more shots of Bey posing and runway walking in front of the car later, and we see what's happening in the car: Yonce and *DINGDINGDING* Jay Z are palling around (to put it LIGHTLY) in the backseat. Bey's dressed in the same thing, so it's unclear whether this whole seduction play started on the road or if that even happened, TBH. IDK what's real and what's not. I do, unfortunately, know why Bey is only wearing lingerie in these scenes, though...
A GIF from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records/GIF: F***yesbeyonce Tumblr
O_O *achem*
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
MOVING ON. We're back indoors, and Bey has switched from good witch to bad witch with more archival fashion pieces, this time by way of a lace cape and corset from Thierry Mugler. She pairs them with more Louboutins (but boots!), a pair of opulent Givenchy couture earrings, and a dark plum pout.
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
Surprise! She's also wearing a vampire grill. #thirdwardtrill
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
And then we arrive at Paris' Le Crazy Horse, where the wardrobe becomes SIGNIFICANTLY smaller for the rest of the video. Bey emerges in the new location dripping with rhinestones from her fancy hairnet (a piece from Crazy Horse's own archives) and vintage crystal bra to her Manuel Albarran hip belt, Lorraine Schwartz body chain, and crystal Louboutins.
A GIF from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records/GIF: Mydefinitionofperfectionbf Tumblr
Yep, even down to her custom suede Le Crazy Horse G-string.
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
After a lot of showgirl hand choreography, Bey is next pictured swanning around (much like that one part in the sand in the "Run the World (Girls)" video), wearing a fishnet and polka-dotted bodysuit from Louis Vuitton and not much else.
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
But it's not long until that shot is over and Bey is in a kind of striptease chorus line. Here, she wears a different but equally glittery and sparse triangle bra + G-string situation. This look has a fringe under the bra and loses the bejeweled hairnet.
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
TBH, it barely matters because she's illuminated by a giant leopard-print projection (the visual effect of which is AWESOME).
A GIF from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records/GIF: Bodyrock Tumblr
But the fringe does help with added interest and movement.
A still from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records
Finally, it's not really a ~look~ since she's totally silhouetted out, but we couldn't finish this break down of the "Partition" video without a shot of that chair dance.
A GIF from Beyonce's "Partition" music video.
Photo: Sony Records/GIF: Ollienotolly Tumblr
K BYEEEEEE!
