FASHION

Rihanna Has Reportedly Been Secretly Developing a Luxury Fashion Line

She’s apparently in talks with LVMH, the world’s largest luxury group.


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Steven Klein

In addition to making a $3.2 billion expansion into hotels, LVMH—the largest luxury group in the world, which controls Celine, Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Givenchy (to name a few)—has also apparently been worming its way into a quite different universe: that of Rihanna and her increasingly vast Fenty empire.

According to a report that WWD shared exclusively on Thursday morning, LVMH has secretly been in talks with Rihanna to launch a luxury house under her name. (The news comes courtesy of “multiple sources”; LVMH has so far declined to comment, and none have hinted at any potential launch date.)

If they do decide to proceed, WWD reports, Rihanna will have already made fashion history along the lines of one of the industry’s historic heavyweights: Christian Lacroix, which was the last major brand for LVMH to launch from scratch while under the leadership of Bernard Arnault, back in 1987. Plus, there’s the fact that Rihanna would be the only woman of color to helm a major fashion brand at LVMH—another long-awaited step forward for the conglomerate (and the industry at large); the appointment of Virgil Abloh to menswear director of Louis Vuitton last March marked one of the only times that a black designer has ever been appointed to helm a heritage fashion house.

USA-France ambassador Jane D. Hartley, Rihanna, Bernard Arnault, and his wife, Helene Arnault, backstage at Christian Dior’s spring/summer 2016 show during Paris Fashion Week, October 2015.

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LVMH already owns Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, meaning Rihanna already knows Arnault—who’s no small acquaintance to have made. The conglomerate’s 69-year-old CEO has an estimated net worth of $72 billion, which currently puts him at number four on Forbes‘s list of billionaires—one slot above Mark Zuckerberg.) Rihanna has also worked with his daughter Delphine Arnault in continuing to support young designers through the LVMH Prize.

The conglomerate has reportedly already begun assembling a team so far made up of employees from Celine and Louis Vuitton—and Rihanna might have already begun publicly hinting at their joint venture herself. Of course, this being Rihanna—a master accessorizer—that hint came courtesy of a simple pair of sunglasses that she wore on Tuesday, whose Fenty logo immediately prompted speculation as to her next venture. If they’re really an indicator of what’s to come, well, stay tuned for something enormous and shiny. (Plus that elusive upcoming top-secret album.)

Related: Rihanna’s Top-Secret Album Has Been on Its Way for More Than a Year

Rihanna Is the Ultimate Fashion Icon

The rising star arrived at the Baby Phat Spring 2006 fashion show in a baby doll-style sundress with lots of eyeliner and nude-pink glossed lips.

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Wearing baggy jeans and a crop halter top, Rihanna was cute and sporty at Z100’s Jingle Ball.

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Rihanna went for the glamorous, diva look at the Conde Nast 3rd Annual Fashion Rocks Concert in a metallic Zac Posen gown.

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Rihanna sparkled in a white, Marilyn Monroe-inspired dress after winning Best Female Artist of the Year at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards.

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Rihanna donned a daring new asymmetrical bob and a neon pink, mermaid-style gown at the MTV Video Music Awards.

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Rihanna visited TRL at MTV’s Studios in Times Square in a strapless bustier top, flared jeans and a knit beanie.

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Rihanna was edgy and fun at the Nickelodeon’s 2008 Kids’ Choice Awards thanks to a new pixie cut and pink polka dot bustier top.

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The singer played with color at the 2008 BET awards in a neon yellow Giambattista Valli gown and a playful purple lip.

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Rihanna’s short, cropped hairstyle gave a little edge to her Jasmine di Millo ruffled dress at the RIAA and Feeding America’s Inauguration Charity Ball.

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Rihanna went for the men’s wear look in a Dolce & Gabbana tux with ’80s-inspired shoulders to the ‘The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion’ Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Newly blonde, Rihanna arrived at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards in a ruffled Victorian-inspired Elie Saab Haute Couture gown.

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Rihanna attended the Echo Award 2010 in a geometric high-fashion Alexander Vautiher bat-cap jumpsuit with serious shoulder pads.

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Rihanna switched up her hairstyle–yet again. This time opting for a cherry red, voluminous curls.

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Continuing her love affair with scarlet, Rihanna attended the ‘Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty’ Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art rocking a long, red French braid, rimmed eye make-up and maroon lip that perfectly coordinated with her sheer, embellished gown.

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The singer looked effortlessly chic at the Stella McCartney presentation during London Fashion Week in a green silk slip dress, courtesy of the designer, with sun-kissed blonde shoulder-length hair.

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Rihanna arrived to the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards in a backless white Adam Selman dress debuting, of course, a new cropped hairstyle.

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The singer turned heads at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in a gorgeous sheer gown by Azzedine Alaia.

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In a sexy Jean Paul Gaultier couture two-piece and coordinating head wrap, Rihanna was completely seductive at the 2013 American Music Awards.

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Rihanna attended the ‘Charles James: Beyond Fashion’ Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a Stella McCartney two-piece dress that showed off her perfectly toned stomach.

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Rihanna in custom Adam Selman at the CFDA awards.

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Rihanna showed some skin in a Tom Ford gown at the 2014 amfAR LA Inspiration Gala. Her ponytail, long lashes and bright orange lip upped the overall glam factor of the look.

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Pretty in pink. The singer filmed an episode of ‘Good Morning America’ in a Pascal Millet jumpsuit, blazer and faux fur stole.

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Rihanna attends the ‘China: Through The Looking Glass’ Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a yellow couture gown from Chinese designer Guo Pei.

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Rihanna looked gothic chic in a look of her own design during the FENTY PUMA by Rihanna Fall 2016 show at New York Fashion Week.

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Showing off her killer body yet again, the singer attended the 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year event in a sheer, embellished gown and pointy-toed converse-inspired sneakers, both by Marc Jacobs.

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Rihanna in Dior.

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Rihanna in Altuzarra.

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Rihanna in Kiko Mizuhara for Opening Ceremony.

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Rihanna in Giambattista Valli couture.

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Rihanna in Vivienne Westwood Red Label.

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