On May 29, Bad Gal Riri debuted her fashion label, Fenty, a partnership with luxury conglomerate LVMH that will sell luxury ready-to-wear clothing, as well as shoes and accessories. Photos that were taken inside the pop-up shop reveal that the line, by mixing typically masculine items and silhouettes with a new fresh and feminine twist, might be taking an androgynous approach to its clothing, meaning it can be worn by anyone.
In case you have been living under a rock for the past decade and are unfamiliar with the singer, Rihanna is a 31-year-old Barbadian-born pop star whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty. Her singing career began in 2005, when she moved to the United States and released her first studio album, “Music of the Sun,” under record label Def Jam Recordings. The singer has since gone on to create and release seven more successful albums, which contained hits like “Umbrella,” “Stay” and “Work.” Rihanna has also dabbled in film and was featured in movies like “Battleship,” “Home” and “Ocean’s 8.” She also had a recurring role in the television show “Bates Motel.”
The launch of Fenty should come as no surprise to the people who have been following the pop icon religiously, as she has shown quite an interest in the world of fashion over the years. Rihanna has modeled for both Armani and Balmain campaigns in 2011 and 2015, respectively. She also had a strong bond and friendship with former artistic director of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, before he passed in 2019. In 2014, Rihanna’s spark for fashion design was ignited when she was named the creative director of the women’s collection for footwear company, Puma. She designed several apparel items and shoes during her time as creative director.
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Rihanna first used the name Fenty when she released her cosmetic brand in 2017. Fenty Beauty was a big achievement for Rihanna, as it was her first time creating her own line of cosmetic products. The line was revolutionary as well for the beauty community, as there were 40 shades of the Pro Filt’r foundation available for purchase at the time of the line’s release, making the brand inclusive to every skin tone, which cannot always be said about popular cosmetic brands. The brand has been a major hit with fans and beauty lovers alike, and is currently sold in Sephora in the United States, and in Harvey Nichols locations in the United Kingdom.
Shortly after the launch of her cosmetic company, Rihanna was ready for her next adventure. The entrepreneur debuted her lingerie line, Savage X Fenty, in 2018. The line is unique in the fact that it is body-positive and caters to almost every shape and size, as bras are available to those who wear a 32A up until even a 46DDD.
The brand is different from other lingerie retailers, such as Victoria Secret, because it offers nude bras and panties for all skin tones and is inclusive of the LGBTQ community. Rihanna was able to display her lingerie line at her Savage X Fenty fashion show during New York Fashion Week in fall 2018. The show, which was held in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, featured models of all walks of life, including Rihanna’s friend, the model Slick Woods, who walked the show at nine months pregnant.
While Rihanna has experience with having her own businesses and lines, her fashion line under luxury conglomerate LVMH is going to be a whole new kind of fashion experience. Luxury clothing typically comes with high price tags, which sometimes makes them inaccessible to customers and fans.
Unfortunately, Rihanna has found herself in this type of situation where her price points exceed her goals for her business. In an article published on Popdust.com, the author expressed how she felt that Rihanna wants to use the line as a way to cater to the modern woman through fashion, but the average modern woman cannot afford a several hundred dollar T-shirt or pair of shoes.
Thankfully, Rihanna has many people in her corner that have backed her up and supported her new line. Fans and celebrities have mentioned that Rihanna has in the past partnered with more affordable brands, like River Island and Puma, which are more accessible brands to most individuals and their budget. Fashionistas have also brought up the point that when you buy luxury goods, you are paying for quality. Therefore, the prices of the pieces from the Fenty line reflect the time and care that was put into them.
One of the main points brought up by individuals who support Rihanna’s latest fashion endeavor is that Fenty is going to be much more than just another LVMH brand like Dior or Louis Vuitton. The line is going to break many barriers for the conglomerate. For starters, Fenty Maison, Rihanna’s Paris fashion house, will be the first fashion house built from the ground up since the Christian Lacroix house was built in 1987.
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What is arguably the most groundbreaking element about the release of the line is that not only will Rihanna will be the first woman to release an original brand under LVMH, but she will also be the first woman of color to be in a high position in an LVMH fashion house.
Rihanna took to Twitter to thank the CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, who she also worked with to develop Fenty Beauty. In a tweet from May 10, the singer wrote, “big day for the culture. thank you Mr. Arnault for believing in this little girl from the left side of an island, and for giving me the opportunity to grow with you.” It is easy to see the excitement and passion that Rihanna has for her newest launch, and it will be interesting to see if fans will respond with the same enthusiasm towards the line.
