Fashion History
The History of Rihanna fashion industry
Apr
Rihanna is a multi-talented artist who has made a significant impact on the fashion industry. She first gained recognition as a musician, but her fashion sense and style quickly became a topic of conversation among fans and industry professionals alike.
Rihanna’s foray into the fashion industry began in 2011 when she launched her first collection with Armani Jeans. Since then, she has launched several successful fashion lines, including Fenty Puma, Savage X Fenty, and Fenty Beauty. Her fashion lines have received critical acclaim and have been praised for their inclusivity and diversity.
In 2019, Rihanna made history by becoming the first woman to create an original brand at LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate. Her brand, Fenty, focuses on creating luxury fashion that is both accessible and inclusive. The brand has been praised for its commitment to diversity, with models of different sizes, skin tones, and backgrounds walking the runway during fashion shows.
Rihanna’s impact on the fashion industry goes beyond her successful fashion lines. She has been praised for her daring fashion choices, which have inspired many fans to embrace their unique sense of style. Her influence can be seen in the numerous fashion trends that have emerged in recent years, such as oversized jackets, statement sunglasses, and bold accessories.
Overall, Rihanna’s impact on the fashion industry has been significant. She has challenged traditional beauty standards and has helped to create a more inclusive and diverse fashion industry. Her innovative designs and bold fashion choices have inspired countless fans and fashion lovers around the world.
2014: Puma Taps Rihanna as Creative Director
German sporting goods firm Puma signed the singer as brand ambassador, campaign star and women’s creative director. Rihanna’s first shoe, the Puma Creeper style, sold out in three hours. She went on to design four ready-to-wear collections.
2015: Stance Socks
Rihanna stepped into the socks business with Stance, becoming the brand’s contributing creative director as part of a three-year deal.
2016: Manolo Blahnik
The denim-driven collection, Rihanna x Manolo Blahnik, featured sequins and embroidery influenced by Rihanna’s hand tattoos. On launch day, the brand’s web site crashed several times due to high traffic.
2016: Dior Sunglasses
Rihanna created a range of futuristic sunglasses in collaboration with Dior as part of her brand ambassadorship. The name of the collection was simply Rihanna.
2016-18: Fenty x Puma
Fenty Puma by Rihanna made its debut at New York Fashion Week for fall 2016. The collection was a sport-influenced take on Japanese streetwear, erotica, Goth and the singer’s own style.
For her second and third collections, Rihanna moved to Paris Fashion Week, taking inspiration from the 18th-century French style for spring and collegiate style for fall.
For her last show, back in New York for spring 2018, Rihanna combined surf, motocross and rock-climbing looks.
2017: Fenty Beauty
LVMH signed Rihanna to create a makeup range, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, in the fall of 2017. The brand launched with 40 foundation shades of the Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation. Roughly a year and a half later, the singer has expanded the range to 50 shades and introduced a complementary concealer, also in 50 shades, shining a light on the importance of makeup brands offering inclusive shade ranges for their complexion products.
In December 2018, Fenty Beauty won the WWD Beauty Inc Award for Digital Innovator of the Year.
2017: Chopard
Rihanna brought her Midas touch to Chopard, with a high-jewelry collection codesigned with Chopard copresident and creative director Caroline Scheufele that made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May. Dubbed Rihanna Loves Chopard, it consisted of one-of-a-kind creations inspired by the singer’s island roots, as well as new takes on house icons.
2018: Savage x Fenty
Rihanna closed out fashion week for fall 2018 with an “immersive experience” for her Savage x Fenty lingerie collection debut, done in partnership with El Segundo, Calif.-based TechStyle Fashion Group.
“The concept really is just about exploring and celebrating women and all different shapes and bodies and designing things that met that,” Rihanna said backstage after the show. Gigi, Bella, Joan Smalls and a pregnant Slick Woods all walked the show.
2019: LVMH
LVMH and Rihanna have been in secret talks to launch a luxury house under her name, and now they made it official. Rihanna’s collection with LVMH will span ready-to-wear, leather goods and accessories, and is expected to launch later this year.
