Before the daughters, there was Tina

Beyoncé turned the Renaissance tour into a runway. Solange became indie fashion's patron saint. Both of those things start with their mother.

The woman behind the looks

She styled and costumed Destiny's Child through the aughts, from the matching green outfits at their first Grammys in 2001 to Beyoncé's custom House of Deréon gown at the 2009 Oscars.

Her first solo campaign at 72

Knowles planted the family flag in fashion decades ago. Only now is she the face of a campaign on her own, not as somebody's stylist or somebody's mother.

St. John gets a reset

The California luxury house founded in the '60s is relaunching under Humberto Leon, who co-founded Opening Ceremony and ran Kenzo with Carol Lim. He brought Knowles in.

A friendship, not a casting call

Leon is one of Solange's best friends. He made custom Kenzo pieces for Beyoncé's tour and designed Solange's 2014 wedding dress to Alan Ferguson.

“Humberto and I go back quite a bit.”

The jackets Beyoncé borrowed

As a 10th grader at the High School of Performing Arts, Beyoncé raided her mother's St. John jackets and wore them with straight-leg jeans, pumps and chains.

“She dressed so 'grown.'”

Edgier, sexier, still chic

Knowles says Leon's version of the label has real bite to it, and that the refresh works. Solange's verdict settled the casting.

“Solange was like, 'you know, Ms. Tina, she's the St. John girl.'”

Stylists finally get paid

She was one of the first celebrity stylists people could name. Now Rachel Zoe and Law Roach are stars, and she is glad the work reads as art.

“People are finally really getting paid and respected for fashion like any other form of art.”

Taste starts with what excites you

Her advice for anyone stuck: figure out what makes you tick. Buying every designer makes you a good dresser, not a stylish one.

“If you don't put your own personality into it, then yes, you're a good dresser, but you don't have a great sense of style.”