The Super Bowl’s halftime show has, for some time now, eclipsed the Super Bowl itself. Those 20 or so minutes of pop culture in the middle of the main event extend its appeal well beyond gridiron football. What’s more, the headlining acts – and what they wear – need to match up to the rabid hype that has been fostered over the years by Madonna, Maroon 5 and Ms Janet Jackson’s nipples. So, Mr Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, had a lot of pressure resting on his diamond-encrusted shoulders this year, not least because he had to perform to a socially distanced stadium largely populated by cardboard cutouts.

Also consider that we now live in a world where, thanks to Lil Uzi Vert, implanted forehead diamonds are the new face tattoos. Perhaps it’s because we’ve been starved of a good time for the past 12 months, but 2021 seems to have brought with it a new age of showmanship, where rock stars are expected to Liberace themselves to the nines to give the rest of us something to pore over. For The Weeknd, whose signature look for the past year has been a red blazer worn with a black shirt and skinny tie, the answer of how to rise to the sartorial challenge of the Super Bowl was one we can all take a lesson from: stick to what you know, but turn it up a notch.

The crimson jacket he wore on stage was a somewhat familiar sight, except that this time it was Givenchy couture and took over 250 hours to make. Meticulously embellished with ruby crystals by a team of four embroiderers and conceptualised by Givenchy and The Weeknd’s team over Zoom, it’s a museum-worthy garment that nods to the ornate moment that menswear is currently enjoying.

Givenchy’s creative direction is of course now in the hands of Mr Matthew Williams, who previously worked as a designer for Lady Gaga and Mr Kanye West, as well as heading up his own brand, 1017 ALYX 9SM. With a knack for sharp, edgy tailoring, Mr Williams’ menswear is bringing an unabashedly glamorous side of menswear back into fashion. Indeed, typing in “embellished” into MR PORTER’s search bar brings up everything from sequined jackets to Swarovski-encrusted T-shirts, and Dior to CELINE HOMME are among the designers currently riding the ornate menswear train.

As far as The Weeknd’s jacket goes, it’s certainly one that gives us pause to appreciate the more eye-catching side of menswear. And though most of us may not be famous or wealthy enough to commission a Parisian atelier to spend 250 hours making a glittering crystal jacket, well, it at least encourages us to make an effort.