Beaded dresses from the descendants of Ra
When I saw Solange on SNL I was floored by her beaded hair by Shani Crowe and her beaded dress. I had to do a double-take to really take in the intricacy of weaving hair and braiding which I have no talent for. She's talented, and a number one album speaks measures right?
After the show I couldn't help but realize how similar it is to ancient Egyptian beaded dresses. Turns out the dress is the brainchild of Erickson Beamon and Swarovski with artistic direction and styling by Jason Rembert and Eric McNeal. The beaded dress is beautiful but makes me wonder about it's durability and wearability - the beads used to create this dress are SHARP. The Egyptians used a type of ceramic beaded called Faience that is a hallmark of their beaded dresses, aprons and beaded collars. Their tubular shape along with their Turquoise hue, and often two-hole type are staples of this bead.
About the pictured Egyptian dresses:
These full length pieces covered sarcophagus and body of ancient royalty. The beads are made of a unique ceramic/glass material and are called Faience. Hallmarks of these beads are their beautiful mosaic of color ranging from the blue to burnt orange. These pieces are from 700 to 2150 BC.