An Ode to Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s Hall-of-Fame Couples Style

What’s most appealing about Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s couples style is their ability to incorporate details of each other’s looks into their own. During the Imagine reggae concert in Barbados in November, Rihanna wore a red ruched dress from Magda Butrym featuring rosettes and cutouts down the front, paired with PVC Giuseppe Zanotti heels and a red Gucci shoulder bag from the brand’s Tom Ford era. Rocky, meanwhile, coordinated with his girlfriend while still remaining true to his style—the red accents in his Jean Paul Gaultier x Y/Project shirt, red flannel, and red Prada sneakers all give a nod to what we’re calling Rihanna’s LRD.

Although these looks don’t explicitly match, they coordinate. During a recent date night, Rocky and Rih grabbed dinner at Issima in West Hollywood, followed by a quick stop for ice cream, in like-minded leather getups. Rihanna, in a Celine leather jacket decorated in fringe, opted for faux-leather, tie-up pants from Miaou and black Celine steel-toe cowboy boots. Rocky followed suit, albeit in his own way—he wore a grommeted leather jacket, loose-fitting jeans, and the same Celine cowboy boots as his girlfriend.

These two are at the helm of the big pants trend. And now, they’ve brought the look into their couples style. For a late-night walk, Rihanna doubled up on denim, while Rocky paired his wide-leg jeans with a black vest, graphic long-sleeve, and fuzzy beanie.

To celebrate his 34th birthday, A$AP Rocky and Rihanna decamped to Los Angeles celeb-favorite restaurant Olivetta in classic black tie fashion. Of course, the duo’s approach to cocktail dressing features a slight twist—Rih’s dress is ruched and zippered with a high slit, while Rocky opted for a Celine Homme pinstripe suit, dark shades, and a joint.

For their first appearance as parents, the Bad Gal and her man attended the premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever back in October wearing color-coordinated outfits. The Fenty beauty founder donned a sculptural Rick Owens gown with a gathered skirt around her hips, visible seams, and a small train. By her side, A$AP Rocky was also clad in gray, wearing a large denim jacket, a black t-shirt, and two-toned pants in gray and black, with one leg featuring a matching train.

At the Off-White show during Paris Fashion Week in February 2022, Rihanna and Rocky maintained separate color palettes but matched each others’ energy in both textile and proportion choices: it was large leather outerwear all around.

Under designer Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s mandate seems to be “too much is never enough.” Both nodded to the house codes at a Gucci event in February, 2022. Rocky wore big yellow mittens and carried a monogramed suitcase. Rihanna, meanwhile, had on a Joan of Arc-worthy headpiece and a purple faux-fur coat. Yet each grounded their outfit in a base layer of black.

At first glance, these outfits look like they belong at two separate events. But take a second look, and you’ll notice they’re actually quite coordinated. The purple ombré of Rihanna’s sheer, glistening pants match Rocky’s purple Louis Vuitton varsity jacket. The green in his sneakers and in the detailing of his jacket coordinate with her top. Plus, the texture of his artfully shredded jeans echoes the strand-effect seen on Rihanna’s upper half.

The idea was “casual with a dose of glamour” for a date night in NYC in January, 2022. Rihanna paired her Martine Rose track jacket with a faux-fur stole and trimmed miniskirt. Rocky let her outfit shine, color-wise—but look closer and notice the luxe trim on his hood.

Do their iconic 2021 Met Gala outfits need explanation? She’s in a Balenciaga ballgown that recalls a sleeping bag. He’s in a costume ERL coat made from a vintage quilt.

They were styled for the “D.M.B.” music video, shot in the summer of 2021, so the coordination was perhaps more intentional that usual.

What does a superstar couple wear to a red carpet? A suit and a gown, of course—but at the Fashion Awards in 2019, they each put their own spin on the classics. Rocky’s suit is delightfully oversized, while Rihanna dresses up a cocktail-length dress with all the black tie trimming, including a jeweled choker and evening gloves.

Long before they were co-parents, they were (sometimes flirty) collaborators. Performing “Cockiness” at the 2012 VMAs, each musician dressed in full monochrome looks, but neither’s outfit could be described as basic.