Rihanna’s Fenty Maison Includes Raw Denim

Just in case you’ve been living under a rock and didn’t hear the news, a few days ago Rihanna made fashion history. She didn’t just launch a streetwear label like the average celebrity. No. Not Rihanna. Instead, she became the first woman of color to head an LVMH maison, the first woman to create an original brand at LVMH, and her Fenty line is the first new house created since Christian Lacroix debuted in 1987.

Her debut line is a lot tamer than I would have expected. Especially when compared with the edginess of Fenty Puma and Savage x Fenty. There’s an assortment of power suits and trousers in voluminous silhouettes in a simple color palette of stark whites and powdery shades. This is Rihanna all grown up and making power moves. And you can’t make power moves without a power suit. The soft palette is contrasted with the deep indigo of raw denim. Raw denim is rarely if ever the focal point of a womenswear collection. It’s the fabric of choice for denim connoisseurs and is firmly in the realm of men’s jeans. Using it so prominently in her debut is a subtle statement that Rihanna is playing it safe, but not too safe. Also, considering the magnitude of what she has accomplished so far, it’s probably a strategic move. It allows Fenty Maison to make an impact while giving it room to grow and evolve which it is sure to do over time.

It will be interesting to see the cultural shift that is sure to come with a pop star with no design experience having such a historic moment in fashion. That’s not a criticism, just an observation. Rihanna is a paragon of style and a cultural tastemaker. From hair to heel her looks are consistently emulated. She’s had celebrated collaborations with Manolo Blahnik and Puma. Her namesake beauty and lingerie collections have shown us what inclusivity really looks like and effectively put many established brands to shame. Rightly so in my opinion. So design experience or not, pop star or not, Rihanna has paid her dues and clearly knows her business. Therefore, by cultural shift I mean has she set a new bar for the celebrity that enters the realm of fashion? Will we see more luxury conglomerates taking chances on celebrities the way streetwear brands have? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.