Rihanna, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE Unveil Details Of Luxury Fenty Fashion Label

PARIS — Earlier this year, DM Fashion Book exclusively reported that LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, better known as LVMH and Rihanna have been in secret talks to launch a luxury house under her name, according to multiple sources (see it here).

On February 27, 2019, new details emerged (see it here). After months of speculations, on May 10, 2019, LVMH officially confirmed a luxury label with Riri, under the Fenty banner (see it here).

The singer turned fashion designer and mogul just made history! Rihanna is writing HERstory and we’re so proud of her. NOT in my wildest dreams did I ever foreseen this happening.

Bernard Arnault believed in a woman of color from the left side of an island. This is proof that nothing is impossible.

On May 20, 2019, Rihanna and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton released more details of their joint fashion venture under the Fenty banner, the collection debuted in a pop-up store in Paris on May 24 and online today May 29, operating outside of the conventional fashion show schedule under what it has dubbed a “see-now-wear-now” model.

May 20’s statement said Robin Rihanna Fenty is the chief executive officer and artistic director of Fenty. The Instagram account for the house, @fenty, has amassed 438,000 followers at the time of this post. Shoppers could now buy the fashion pieces at Fenty.com.

“Women are forces of this earth. We are multifaceted, complex, vulnerable yet bulletproof, and Fenty speaks to all of our intricacies. Some days I want to be submissive, many days I’m completely in charge and most days I feel like being both….so it was imperative that we created a line versatile enough to embrace and celebrate us in that way. The collections are easily worn together and meant to be staples in our wardrobe. I’m just hyped to see people in my clothes, man,” said Rihanna, in a statement.

“Reflecting Rihanna’s own style, her character, and experiences, Fenty seeks to empower our audience and customers, transforming their attitude through our clothes and silhouettes,” the statement from the label said. It continued, adding the new brand will mark a “new evolution in luxury – created from simple yet elevated materials, engineered with a modern take on classic silhouettes.”

Releasing products through “multiple incremental releases,” each drop will be “focused on a specific selection of product, will express a new facet of a woman and her wardrobe,” according to the label’s description. Such releases will include special editions, items available for limited time-periods and core products.

The label also made public a preview film showing a cosmopolitan crowd sporting a range of utilitarian-inspired, mono-toned looks, with ample, voluminous sleeves and pant legs, offset with streamlined fanny packs, and ultra-short shirt dresses. It shows Rihanna darting in and out to adjust the outfits, underscoring her hands-on approach to the fashion line.

A digital “flagship” will be complemented by pop-up stores aimed at offering a “unique experience for both a physical and digital audience,” according to the label’s description.

Rihanna is the first woman to create an original brand at LVMH, the first woman of color at the top of a LVMH maison, and her line will be the first new house created by the group since Christian Lacroix in 1987.

In February 2019, we also reported that LVMH has already handpicked a clutch of employees from within, including some from Louis Vuitton and Celine, to work on the project in tandem with Rihanna and some of her key associates. Among them are Veronique Gebel, previously ready-to-wear director at Louis Vuitton, according to market sources.

The Bajan beauty’s proximity to LVMH stretches back to at least 2015, when we reported that Rihanna was the first Black girl to front a Dior campaign. She also partnered with Dior on a line of futuristic, reflective sunglasses back in 2016 (see it here).

In 2016, we also reported that Rihanna inked $10 million beauty deal with LVMH for her, Fenty Beauty (see it here). The official collection launched in September 2017 (see it here).

In the spring  of 2018, we reported that the popstar, fashion designer and beauty mogul inked a deal with TechStyle Fashion Group for a lingerie line (see it here). The collection, “Savage X Fenty,” was released on May 11, 2018 (see it here).

Riri previously collaborated with MAC Cosmetics in 2013, she represented Viva Glam lipstick in 2014 to raise funds for AIDS research, produced seven fragrances for Parlux Ltd., released a sneaker collection with Puma, debuted her first Fenty collection for Puma during New York Fashion Week, collaborated with Manolo Blahnik on a capsule collection and founded a beauty and stylist agency called Fr8me with managing partner Benoit Demouy, formerly of the agency Tracey Mattingly.

Rihanna’s talent, charisma and beauty have made her a favorite of fashion designers worldwide. The Barbados native has previously modeled for Gucci, Emporio Armani and Balmain.

She made her debut in design in 2013 with British high-street brand River Island, creating a collection of clothing and accessories.

Photos Credit: Courtesy of LVMH