H.E.R., whose full name is Gabriella Wilson, also made a statement with her patchwork motorcycle jacket and two-toned denim pants, which were custom pieces made by Brea Stinson, the designer behind Stinson Haus.
Stinson has designed a number of red-carpet and performance looks for H.E.R. over the years, as well as outfits for Lizzo, Stevie Wonder, Ciara, Mary J. Blige, TLC, and Ella Mai.
For example, one sleeve of H.E.R.'s remixed motorcycle jacket is adorned with words that she chose herself: equality, peace, love, and justice. Stinson covered the other sleeve in bits and baubles that she said offered their own messages. For example, she chose a crown patch near the elbow to represent H.E.R. as musical "royalty."
Stinson incorporated hidden meaning into the design for H.E.R.Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images; Patrick Smith/Getty Images
H.E.R.'s outfit also had a sense of history
The front side of H.E.R.'s rhinestone-covered bell-bottom pants is made of washed denim that Stinson dip-dyed. The fabric treatment gave it an ombré effect that fades from black to a purple color, which was a nod to Prince, Stinson said.
H.E.R.'s jeans had subtle rhinestones and an ombré wash.Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
Stinson's design for H.E.R. had a sense of history in other ways, too.
The designer said that when the coronavirus pandemic upended her creative work in early 2020, she made it a goal to focus on wasting fewer materials. For H.E.R.'s Super Bowl look - and for other recent projects - Stinson used pieces of fabric scraps from past designs worn by other music stars.
Advertisement
"Some of the denim in the jacket was from a Stevie Wonder look, and I just think that after we're all gone, and if that jacket is still around, there's going to be so many stories to tell even within those two pieces," Stinson said.
H.E.R. told Insider via email that she thinks the outfit "really captured the vibe" for her Super Bowl performance.
"Even with everything going on in the world right now, I still hope to give people hope and positivity through music and the arrangement I did for my rendition. It had to be soulful rock-star vibes," H.E.R. said. "The piece had the words 'equality, justice, peace, and love' - words I will continue to stand for in every performance."
A post shared by Brea STINSON (@breabstar)
The Los Angeles-based designer said her clothing line's philosophy is inspired by her hometown of Detroit, Michigan.
"It's a gritty city with very hard-working people," Stinson said. "The people and history there have grit, but then there's this element of glamour and underlying confidence and creativity, and sometimes that comes across with a little rhinestone."
Advertisement
"A lot of times, my work has that contrast of being very hard and tough, but then there's something still very beautiful about it," she said.
H.E.R. wearing custom Stinson Haus designs at the NAACP Image Awards in February 2020 and at the Grammy Awards in February 2019.Rich Fury/Getty Images; Dan MacMedan/Getty Images
Stinson also spoke about supporting small businesses, Black-owned brands, and creatives in general during the pandemic.
"I think a lot of people survived the pandemic and these uncertain times because of creatives and people who took the initiative to make something that gave people hope," Stinson said.
She added that the challenges she experienced as a creative and business owner in the past year ultimately inspired her recent designs.
"I think that my work, my art, is taking a turn for the better because it's going to have more intention," Stinson said. "I want to feel of use and purposeful beyond giving people pretty clothes."
NewsletterSIMPLY PUT - where we join the dots to inform and inspire you. Sign up for a weekly brief collating many news items into one untangled thought delivered straight to your mailbox.