Tina Knowles spent decades making clothes for other people to be photographed in. Now, the designer behind some of Destiny's Child's most recognisable early looks is the face of St. John's new campaign. Revealed on Thursday, 10 September, the California luxury label begins a creative relaunch under Humberto Leon.
The 72-year-old designer, author and mother of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles appears in campaign images photographed by Kanya Iwana, shifting from the stylist and costume designer behind the scenes to the woman wearing the clothes. The timing also connects two fashion histories: Knowles has worn St. John for years, while Leon officially became the brand's creative director on Thursday.
Tina Knowles Has Been Building Fashion Moments for Decades
Long before Beyoncé's Renaissance and Cowboy Carter eras, Knowles was creating stagewear for Destiny's Child. She designed the matching green outfits worn when the group won its first two Grammys in 2001, later created Beyoncé's 2009 Oscars gown through House of Deréon and worked on costumes for films including Dreamgirls and Cadillac Records. Her work made her a visible part of the fashion story surrounding Beyoncé years before the singer's current relationships with major luxury houses.
The St. John casting also has a personal connection. Knowles said she and Leon 'go back quite a bit', with the designer previously working with her daughters during his years at Kenzo. Leon and Carol Lim created custom Kenzo pieces for Beyoncé, while Leon designed a dress for Solange's 2014 wedding to Alan Ferguson.
Knowles has also spoken about watching stylists move from backstage roles into public-facing careers of their own. She said she respects the work because styling demands 'a lot of work and a lot of dedication', adding that fashion deserves recognition 'like any other form of art'. The St. John campaign now places Knowles herself in the kind of fashion spotlight she spent years helping create for other performers.
St. John Was Already in the Knowles Family Wardrobe
Knowles' relationship with the label predates the campaign by decades. She recalled Beyoncé borrowing her St. John jackets while attending high school, pairing them with straight-leg jeans, pumps and chains for a look that a teacher later described as unusually grown-up. Knowles said the refreshed collection is 'a bit edgier and sexy', positioning her as both the campaign face and someone with a long history of wearing the brand.
St. John, founded in California in 1962 by Marie and Robert Gray, is simultaneously introducing a new creative chapter. Leon, who co-founded Opening Ceremony and previously served as co-creative director of Kenzo, will oversee the brand's design, image and broader creative direction. CEO Mandy West said Leon understands how to honour St. John's history while making it feel 'entirely new'.
The Campaign Is a New Chapter, but Not Her First Ad
The rollout has been described as Knowles' first solo fashion campaign, but that claim needs qualification. In April, she fronted Kurt Geiger London's 2026 Mother's Day campaign, appearing in a pink-themed film promoting the accessories brand's spring and summer collection. St. John is therefore better understood as a new luxury fashion chapter for Knowles, rather than her first time leading a fashion advertisement.
What is new is the context: Knowles is entering St. John at the same moment Leon is reworking the label for a new generation. After years of helping shape the wardrobes surrounding Beyoncé, Solange and Destiny's Child, the designer is now part of the fashion story in front of the camera. The campaign centres her own style history, with a label she says was already part of the family wardrobe.
