When conceptualizing, longtime stylist Rita Melssen began with the visual language of the sport itself. “We wanted the looks to feel authentic and celebrate the players,” she tells Vogue. “We drew inspiration from classic soccer warm-up kits while also paying homage to Madonna’s signature athleisure style.”
Melssen looked in particular to paparazzi images of Madonna traveling to and from workouts during the 1990s and early 2000s. “Those images capture her essence, which is strong, confident, sexy, and effortlessly cool,” she explains. “I wanted to channel that energy while elevating it for the stage.” That attitude was reinterpreted through a custom Saint Laurent look, balancing athletic references with global performance-worthy polish. While Madonna’s recent Confessions II era has largely been defined by shades of pink and purple, Melssen shifted the palette toward a softer mauve. The color allowed the costume to feel distinct for the occasion, while remaining connected to the broader visual identity of the excellent new album.
“The biggest challenge was creating something that felt special enough to open the inaugural FIFA World Cup Halftime Show while staying true to the concept,” Melssen says. Swarovski crystal embellishment elevated the look through custom detailing which was developed for Madonna and the wider cast of dancers, bringing “a sense of celebration, joy, and glamour” to the costumes without losing their athletic aesthetic. Among the most playful details were a pair of custom fingerless gloves, created with embellishment artist Le Rhinestud and inspired by the bold graphic patterning of traditional goalkeeper gloves. The gloves were covered in Swarovski crystals, while a bespoke crystal referee whistle offered a more literal—and irreverent—nod to the sport. Percolating stadium lights picked up the shimmer and sparkle in Madonna and her backup dancer’s looks.
Melssen also collaborated with Swarovski on custom necklaces and earrings in fuchsia, citrus green, royal purple, clear and blue-violet. Central to the jewelry story was the Millenia necklace, which has appeared repeatedly throughout Madonna’s Confessions II album rollout: “Incorporating it into this look helped connect this performance to the era’s broader visual language.”
Glam had to be just as powerful on the pitch. Madonna’s go-to makeup artist Marcelo Gutierrez created a luminous, high-impact beauty look that also spoke to the ongoing Confessions II visual world, as well as her latest KIKO Milano campaign. “For a performance that is going to be seen by almost two billion people, we wanted to really cement and lean into the beauty story we have already created,” Gutierrez tells Vogue. On complexion, he focused on dimension without weighing down the skin. “A lot of the techniques I use, both for Madonna and my work in general, are very much based in painting,” he explains. “I apply very sheer layers of cream and then powder to build depth.”
Photo: Getty Images
