RiRi’s New Gig

We were all eagerly waiting to see what Rihanna, arguably one of the biggest pop icons on the planet, would do with the ‘Camp’ theme after camping it up and transforming herself into the pope last year. Could she possibly top that? And let’s face it, you can’t get campier than the outré Comme des Garcons creation she wore to pay homage to Rei the year before. But alas, she was noticeably absent on Monday, confirming on Instagram that she spent her playing with her Fenty Beauty products.

Apparently, she had bigger fish to fry and more pressing things on her mind. Such as the impending announcement, which came Friday morning, that she will launch her own luxury fashion line simply called “Fenty” under the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton umbrella. The Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, has had a successful collaboration with Puma (Fenty x Puma), and launched a lingerie line, Savage x Fenty last year. Rihanna is the first woman to create an original brand for the French multinational luxury goods conglomerate and is the first woman of color to head up an LVMH house.

The collection, which will include ready-to-wear, shoes, and accessories, will be unveiled in Paris during the spring 2020 collections. While we don’t know what it will look like, Rihanna is known for her eclectic, elevated street style and that, of course, was at the foundation of Fenty x Puma. But with her new LVMH backing (joining the ranks of Celine, Dior, Givenchy, Vuitton to name a few), the fact that she is going to be based in Paris, and has complete artistic control — the sky’s the limit.

FYI, she showed both Fenty x Puma Fall and Spring 2017 ready-to-wear collections in Paris, and for the latter, she used Marie Antoinette as a muse and integrated elements of 18th century French culture within the collection. I would imagine that her designs will not only incorporate street but all the different sides of Rihanna. Her fierce, kick-ass bold, brazen, brash, irreverent, rule-breaking style for which she was awarded the CFDA Fashion Icon Award in 2014 will be on full display.

The 31-year-old megastar is a true chameleon who does not stick to just one fashion visage (or one label). She changes according to mood, whim, and occasion and is a master of the mix. She can be demure or vampy; classic or avante garde; ultra- feminine and girlie or borrowed from the boys and tomboyish; streetwise or couture like, and any combination thereof. She loves to play with accessories and proportion, rocks leather and frothy tulle equally, and has become known for her love of denim, one of her signatures. It’s a safe bet, this humble fabric will figure prominently within the upcoming collections as will lingerie (worn as underwear and as outerwear), naturally.

Here is a sampling of many different sides of Rihanna:

Rihanna attended the “Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion” Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday, May 4, 2009, wearing a dramatic puff-sleeved suit, white ruffle shirt and black bow tie by Dolce & Gabbana and black pumps by Jil Sander.

Rihanna made bubblegum pink look uber sexy in a poufy Giambattista Valli gown at the Grammy Awards in 2015.

On April 16, 2017, Rihanna arrived at Coachella in a Matthew Adams Dolan thigh-high denim dress and trucker jacket accessorized with fierce Maison Margiela thigh-high white boots and Adam Selman x Le Specs sunglasses.

The singer wore head to toe Chanel while attending the Chanel 2013/ 2014 Haute Couture Shows in Paris.

Here she is out in New York in October 2017, wearing a black mini dress and clear heels with a Burberry hat, trench coat, and argyle socks.

RiRi attended the 2009 AMA Awards sporting a laser-cut hairdo and wearing an asymmetrical hemline Marchesa gown.

The singer/designer is wearing Fenty x Puma by Rihanna after her fashion show in Paris, September 28, 2016.