Beyoncé's Request to Fans Sparks a Surge in Sales for Small Businesses, Turning Side Hustles Into Major Money-Makers Beyoncé encouraged concertgoers to embrace silver attire, aiming to create a collective "shimmering human disco ball" at each show.
By Madeline Garfinkle Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- Beyoncé's call for silver fashion led to a surge in searches and sales of silver items, particularly on platforms like Etsy.
- Some businesses even adapted their offerings to cater to the silver fashion trend.
- Beyoncé's world tour had a notable economic impact beyond the fashion industry.
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Virgo season is in full swing, and world-renowned Virgo Beyoncé called on fans to ring in the zodiac term with a shining request.
As she celebrated her 42nd birthday on September 4 and wrapped up the final month of her Renaissance World Tour, Beyoncé called on her fans to wear silver to her concerts during Virgo season, which ends on September 22.
"As we approach the last month, my birthday wish is to celebrate with you wearing your most fabulous silver fashions to the shows 8/23-9/22!" the star wrote on an Instagram post and her website. "We'll surround ourselves in a shimmering human disco ball each night."
Since the announcement on August 23, small businesses have seen a surge in searches and sales of silver items, with Etsy reporting a 25% increase in searches for silver clothing and accessories, The New York Times reported.
Fans donned in silver arrive at Sofia Stadium for Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour on Sept. 1. Jason Armond | Getty Images.
Driven by fans on TikTok and even celebrities such as TV host Gayle King and comedian Rosie O'Donnell, independent business owners have had an uptick in searches and sales for silver blouses, corsets, tops and "disco hats."
@rosie is it true ? #beyonce fans - about wearing silver in la on labor day for her concert ?!?!?! someone has to know the deal … #silverclothes #saturdaynight ♬ original sound - Rosie ODonnell
Coquetry Clothing, based in Olive Branch, Mississippi, received emails from fans urgently seeking silver attire. The shop, which specializes in handmade spandex pieces, adapted, creating pieces to meet the demand.
"We have literally just been swapping out fabrics and styles to make them all silver holographic," Ellie May Klimczak, the shop's founder, told the NYT.
Anna Ferguson, the Etsy shop owner of OneLoveOneAnna Designs, told the outlet that the surge in demand for her disco ball earrings turned her side hustle into a primary source of income this year.
This isn't the first time the global pop star's world tour — which began on May 10 in Stockholm — has had an economic ripple effect. In June, economists began pointing to Beyoncé's world tour for its surprising impact on Sweden's economy. The surge in demand for hotels and restaurant meals, driven by her tour, led to a lower-than-expected drop in the inflation rate in May.
"Perhaps all that isn't just down to her as there are other events taking place, but when you think about what was the cause, she is the prime suspect," Michael Grahn, chief economist in Sweden for Denmark's Danske Bank, told NBC news at the time.
