Update 5/10: It's official! Rihanna and luxury conglomerate LVMH are partnering to launch Fenty Maison, a ready-to-wear, shoes, and accessories label that is set to be released this spring.
"Designing a line like this with LVMH is an incredibly special moment for us. Mr. [Bernard] Arnault has given me a unique opportunity to develop a fashion house in the luxury sector, with no artistic limits," Rihanna said in a statement. "I couldn't imagine a better partner both creatively and business-wise, and I'm ready for the world to see what we have built together."
Bad Gal Riri also took to Twitter to share her thoughts her latest business venture. "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 at @lvmh," she tweeted.
The groundbreaking partnership is of major significance, as Fenty Maison is the first new fashion house LVMH has created from the ground up since Christian Lacroix in 1987, BoF reports. The New York Times adds that Rih is also the first woman to launch an original brand within the parent company and is also the first woman of color at the top of an LVMH house.
"Everybody knows Rihanna as a wonderful singer, but through our partnership at Fenty Beauty, I discovered a true entrepreneur, a real C.E.O. and a terrific leader," said LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault in a statement, per the New York Times and BoF. "She naturally finds her full place within LVMH. To support Rihanna to start up the Fenty maison, we have built a talented and multicultural team supported by the group resources. I am proud that LVMH is leading this venture and wish it will be a great success."
BoF adds that LVMH invested 30 million Euros (over $33.7 million) into the partnership while the Bajan pop princess is adding roughly the same of "in-kind contributions" aka lending her name, personal brand power, and time to the venture.
Given Rihanna's proven ability to create well-thought-out looks that mix edgy streetwear staples with high fashion confections, it's safe to anticipate her forthcoming line will embody a similar ethos. Along with promoting a roster of racially diverse and size-inclusive talent as part of the campaign, similar to her Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty launches.
Original Article 1/14/19:
While Rihanna's famously loyal fans have been clamoring for new music from the pop star it's starting to look like they'll be waiting a bit longer. According to WWD, the Barbadian superstar is in talks with LVMH Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy to launch a luxury fashion brand under her name.
Today, LVMH owns 25 luxury houses in the fashion industry including, Fendi, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Celine, and Marc Jacobs. All brands with an incredibly rich history, and known as household names. LVMH's CEO Bernard Arnault has not launched a fashion brand from scratch since 1987 with Christian Lacroix. Reportedly, LVMH has already handpicked insiders from Celine and Louis Vuitton to work with the superstar.
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Fans started speculating on Instagram this week when the style icon was spotted wearing sunglasses emblazoned with "Fenty" on the temples—suggesting it may have been a prototype from a new collection.
Will Robyn Fenty be one of the next great artistic directors? In 2016, the Rihanna launched her first foray into fashion with a contemporary clothing line backed by sportswear brand Puma, called Fenty x Puma. She debuted collection at New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week, with major celebrities and industry insiders filling the seats.
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Rihanna hasn't stopped there though, she in 2017 she launched Fenty Beauty. Creating a worldwide frenzy over her foundation line which included 40 different shades, promising a color match for everyone. In 2018 she launched a lingerie brand, Savage x Fenty, with bra sizes ranging from 32A-44DDD and highly diverse (in size and race) campaigns, eating into Victoria's Secret's marketshare along with other up and coming inclusive lingerie brands.
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While most celebrity collaborations have taken a backseat to influencer collaborations these days, Rihanna continues to prove the impact of her star power—and that she knows what her fans (and women everywhere) want to wear on their body and on their face.
Chrissy Rutherford is a contributing editor at HarpersBazaar.com
Nicole Saundersis the beauty editor at Best Products with over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like high-frequency wands and microcurrent devices, into easy-to-understand guides. She takes great pride in heavily researching and testing featured beauty products, — such as hairdryers and foundations — on our site, and spotlights her all-time seasonal favorites in her quarterly column Best New Beauty. And she tests quite literally thousands of launches for our Best New Beauty Awards package.
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