When it comes to musicians of this generation, there is no one more versatile than Rihanna, who has stepped out of her comfort zone and ventured into ventures other than her albums and chart-topping hits.
Nowadays, Rihanna is more popularly known for her entrepreneurial drive which is quite evident from her makeup line, Fenty Beauty, a brand that was only launched two years ago in 2017 and was named one of Time’s 25 best inventions the same year. Shortly after, RiRi launched her second project named Savage X Fenty, a lingerie lie which promotes inclusivity.
After two successful launches, fans were wondering what was next on Robyn Rihanna Fenty’s business agenda and she didn’t fail to surprise us. The singer recently announced Fenty’s next exciting venture with a fashion brand to selling clothing pieces designed by Miss RiRi herself.
The singer’s brand has gained traction for championing inclusivity through its versatile makeup range with more shades for women of color. Her Savage X Fenty lingerie also follows the same blueprint, offering intimates for women of all shapes and sizes.
And so, the introduction of the “Umbrella” singer’s new fashion brand became almost instantly a hit. That’s why recent speculations that she is teaming up with a French fashion conglomerate is not at all surprising: her fans may have seen it coming the day she announced her cosmetics brand.
It All Started with a Shade
How did the rumors start? Rumor mills started running when eagle-eyed fans saw the Grammy award-winning singer wearing different oversized sunglasses with a Fenty logo, which had people speculating that she was hinting towards a potential line of shades.
However, what shocked fans was when it was announced that Rihanna was planning to sell more than just eyewear. The singer has paired up with LVMH, or Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the conglomerate that owns luxury brands like Dior, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, and Celine.
Of course, fans of Rihanna rejoiced over what seemed like a new fashion venture of their idol, although neither the singer nor LVMH gave out any details about the said collaboration at the time.
Rihanna finally took the plunge with LVMH this year, revealing a brand new line of fashion items ranging from dresses to suits to sunglasses and more. The multi-hyphenate made headlines on May 22 after opening a pop-up store in Paris where she donned a suit from her own collection.
The singer also made history by becoming the first female designer of color to collaborate with LVMH, an extremely prestigious and selective fashion house that only owns established brands.
Work with Dior
Technically speaking, this isn’t the first time Rihanna partnered with a brand under LVMH. In 2016, she launched a sunglasses line with Dior, so she isn’t new in the eyewear biz, to begin with.
Two years prior to that, she was tapped by Puma as a creative director, which helped rake in $1 billion in sales for the shoemaker. All of these collaborations have helped the “Work” singer slowly build up to launching her own brand.
It’s a no-brainer, she is one of the most influential singers of today with over 14 Billboard hits and more than 65 million Instagram followers under her belt.
You can say that her reach is vast – anything she says, or promotes, can be heard by a lot of people, making her one of the most bankable artists of the generation.
This was what spurred LVMH officials to negotiate this historic fashion partnership with the singer. Despite being one of the most successful names in the industry, RiRi doesn’t have any formal fashion education, unlike other designers who come from prestigious fashion schools.
LVMH became a witness to Rihanna’s star power in 2017 when she was signed under the conglomerate’s Kendo, which makes beauty products for Sephora. Following the success, execs were impressed by how her ability to sell a product, no matter what it is.
Interest in Fashion
Although perhaps, one of the earliest signs that she was talented in this scene as well, was in 2013 when she surprised everyone at the London Fashion Week with her River Island collection. At the time she had already aired her long-running desire to design clothes.
As for what can be expected of her line in the future, reports say that the brand will see rapid expansion, adding morw ready-to-wear goods, accessories, and even shoes over the next few years.
This recent collaboration sheds light on the way luxury and established brands are tapping on high-profile personalities that have an influential grasp on the current generation.
