Bad Bunny’s Zara Moment at the Super Bowl
Is the Couture Flex Losing Its Power?
Bad Bunny just gave a memorable performance at Super Bowl LX, the most-watched halftime show to date. I didn’t watch it live, but I promptly caught up later on Sunday night. What struck me was the quality of the production, the joy that radiated from it, and the walking grass. What didn’t? His outfit. To be frank, I was not watching for the outfit. I was just there to root for the man.
Photo courtesy of Apple Music / NFL Communications.
However, when I learned that Zara dressed him, that got my attention. He wore an all-cream outfit with wide-leg slacks and a shoulder-padded football jersey, later changing into a layered blazer in the same cream shade.
This choice has created a lot of online chatter. The backlash was predictable. Many said Bad Bunny missed an opportunity to highlight a Puerto Rican designer. Lady Gaga, for instance, wore Luar, by Dominican designer Raúl López, during her appearance.
Beyoncé, for example, used her Cowboy Carter tour to spotlight Tongoro, the Senegalese brand by Sarah Diouf, during her Cowboy Carter tour. A deliberate choice to amplify an African designer.
Others argued that the biggest stage in the world is not a place to highlight fast-fashion giants, given their ethics and labor policies. Then there were those who suggested he chose a (Spanish) brand that is accessible to look relatable, letting his presence be the biggest star.
So, what to make of Benito and his longtime stylists, Storm Pablo and Marvin Douglas Linares, who have dressed him in Schiaparelli and Gucci over the past months, taking the Zara call?
The real power move in 2026 isn't wearing head-to-toe Schiaparelli. It is the bespoke, atelier-made look that highlights your presence and identity, where the designer is at the service of your culture, not the other way around. Benito’s look beautifully let the sugar cane decor pop against the cream color of his pieces. His jersey featured the number 64, a nod to his late uncle along with his name Ocasio. The symbolism worked with centering his persona around roots and family over fashion. It is 2026: luxury logos are out, and personal identity is in!
Tailored slack pants and jersey sweater? Are you telling me Zara can make well-thought-out, quality clothes with intention? Yes, they can and they want to show it. I would be interested to see the fiber content of those pieces, to see how far they went. Zara can deliver when associated with an important cultural moment, especially when they can stand on par with haute couture.
Bring back well-made high-street clothes. Gap, for instance, used to make quality pieces. Back when I was at university, I worked at the Gap in Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris VI arrondissement, that was… a couple of years ago. Some of the pieces I bought back in the day still live in my closet: 100% cotton, reinforced seams, colors that do not fade after three washes. High-street meant durability. Today, it is often synonymous with disposability.
So, is it really the decline of the Haute Couture flex? Probably not, but there is definitely a shift where high-street brands are increasingly inserting themselves in the cultural zeitgeist to gain some street cred.
And Benito in Zara? Should we shame him for giving them a platform? I don’t think so. They are both getting what they need, plus, we had a bigger battle to fight Sunday night. Moreover, consumers are not powerless, they can make choices. Benito chose Zara, but you don’t have to.