That Rihanna reign just won't let up. Yes her fans' cries for new music will go unheard for the foreseeable future, but we can understand why: Bad Gal Ri Ri is busy building an empire. Earlier this year, after Rihanna, 31, was spotted wearing a pair of Fenty-branded sunglasses, rumors swirled that she might have a new collaboration in the works. Finally, she revealed her plan was bigger than just a pair of sunnies but a brand new luxury line.
"Designing a line like this with LVMH is an incredibly special moment for us. Mr Arnault has given me a unique opportunity to develop a fashion house in the luxury sector, with no artistic limits. 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” Rihanna told Business of Fashion.
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Keep scrolling to learn everything you need to know about Rihanna's latest venture.
Firstly, Will I Look Rihanna In Fenty?
No, let's be serious. No one is Rihanna and that is her power. And to drive that point home, she shared this brilliant exchange with a reporter under an Instagram of her at the BET Awards: "Who are you wearing Rih? Me". But considering she is a (somewhat) accessible queen, she created a few Fenty T-shirts that not only have entry-level price-points but statements that resonate, including the one she wore on the Fourth of July that says "immigrant.” (Click here to see.) Yeah, the same one she tagged Donald Trump in on Instagram.
Will Fenty Host Pop-Up Shops?
Good news! Rihanna has oh-so-graciously opened a pop-up at The Webster in Soho, which fans can visit from June 19 to June 30. You can shop the first and second drop, and our queen has given exclusive pieces to the shop. One of the Fenty finds you’ll only get at The Webster? The immigrant collection (available everywhere in July) including a piece teasing the Navy that says “no more music” for $230.
Fenty Ads Aren't Retouched
Futhering her mission to be inclusive, Rihanna did not retouch the photos of models' sporting her Fenty jewelry, particularly an image of Aweng Chuol whose facial scars were not edited out. The move was praised on social media. "I love that the images used on Fenty are not retouched, and that the models skin is not perfect by societal standards," one Twitter user wrote.
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i love that the images used on fenty are not retouched, and that the models skin is not perfect by societal standards pic.twitter.com/8iDQ9BgUz0
— Farah | فرح (@xfarahalyx) May 29, 2019
So, What's The Inspiration Behind Fenty First Drop?
Rihanna's Maison’s debut, Release 5-19, paid tribute to Kwame Brathwaite, an American photographer known for documenting life and culture in Harlem. “When I was coming up with the concept for this release, we were just digging and digging and we came up with these images – they made me feel they were relevant to what we are doing right now,” Rihanna tells Vogue UK. Further, she tells the British fashion magazine, she shares another connection with the photographer. “Kwame Brathwaite is from Barbados! And, his last name is my grandfather’s name, which was my mother’s name before she was a Fenty.”
Wait, What Is Rihanna's Fenty Fashion Line?
Simply called Fenty, her range of ready-to-wear, accessories, sunglasses, and jewelry will debut on May 24 in Paris (then be fully available at fenty.com on May 29). Rihanna has been secretly wearing the pieces for months. First the sunglasses, then some of the suiting.
Why Did Rihanna Name Her Fashion Line Fenty?
Rihanna wanted to make a clear distinction between her music and other ventures. She didn't want to oversaturate the market and dilute her own personal brand. "I used Fenty so that you didn’t have to hear the word “Rihanna” every time you saw something that I did," she told T magazine. "So Rihanna stayed the music, the person. But these other brands are called Fenty."
Will Fenty Have A Fashion Show?
The "Work" singer didn't want a situation where customers would see something on the runway and have to wait six months to buy it, so she's being as "disruptive as possible" with a 'see it, love it, have it' business model. "There is no runway show," she explained. "It’s a new way of doing things because I believe that this is where fashion is going to go eventually."
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When Is Fenty Going On Sale?
The collection will debut at a pop-up shop in Paris on May 24 but the rest of us can shop when it becomes available online at Fenty.com on May 29. From there, Rihanna tells T Magazine, we can expect new additions every few weeks, like "singles from an album." This is a luxury brand that will focus on direct-to-consumer online sales.
What Will The Fenty Pieces Look Like?
Rihanna is introducing her line to the world with structured silhouettes in subdued neutrals that emphasize strong shoulders, cinched waists and exposed legs (at least to start). "I use myself as the muse. It’s sweatpants with pearls, or a masculine denim jacket with a corset," she explained to T Magazine.
How Much Is Fenty Going To Cost Me?
Brace yourself: Fenty will be sold at a luxury price point. T Magazine published a first look at the collection, and prices varied from $420 USD for a brass ear cuff and $480 USD for sunglasses, to $1,100 for a denim corset and $670 USD sandals.
What Sizes Does Fenty Come In?
“I’m thick and curvy right now," said Thiccanna (fans' loving nickname for Rihanna at her curviest). "So if I can’t wear my own stuff then, I mean, that’s not gonna work, right? And my size is not the biggest size. It’s actually closer to the smallest size we have: We go up to a [French size] 46” — a size equivalent to a US 14/XL/1X — “We’re saying we can meet you at any one drop that we put out.” While not super extensive, Fenty's size range is still a rarity in luxury fashion. We're pretty sure the designer has plans to expand eventually, like she did with Savage X Fenty — a just and inclusive queen.
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Rihanna's Fenty Fashion Line Is A Big Deal, Right?
Yes, this is a huge deal. With this announcement, Rihanna becomes the first Black woman at the helm of a LVMH Maison and the first woman, Black or otherwise, to launch an original brand at the conglomerate. It's not something she takes lightly, either.
“It’s never alleviated, you know? You’re going to be Black wherever you go,” she explained to T of the racism she faces in the fashion industry. “I don’t know if it’s unfortunate or fortunate, because I love being Black. So, sorry for those who don’t like it — that’s the first thing you see before you even hear my voice."
She also revealed that she faces discrimination because of her gender and age. "There are also other factors: I’m young. I’m new to the family. I’m a woman. Those factors do come into play, but I will not apologize for them, and I will not back down from being a woman, from being Black, from having an opinion. I’m running a company and that’s exactly what I came here to do."
In short: plot your shopping attacks now because items are expected to go fast.