After officially announcing FENTY as a LVMH fashion label last week, Rihanna has finally given the first look at what the high-end luxury line will look like, as well as an update on what fans haven been dying to hear for over three years now: new music!
Sitting down for an extensive cover story with T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Rih gave journalist Jeremy O. Harris one of the most revealing interviews she’s done in recent months. It seemed as if nothing was off limits during their talk, including what her next album would be titled (“I’m about to call it [‘R9′] probably, ’cause they have haunted me with this “’R9,’ ‘R9,’ when is ‘R9’ coming out?” How will I accept another name after that’s been burned into my skull?”), whether another Drake collab is in the works (“Not anytime soon, I don’t see it happening. Not on this album, that’s for sure.”) and whether we’ll be hearing a “Telephone”-style linkup with Lady Gaga (“It’s not in the books right now, but I’m not against it.”). As far as FENTY is concerned, expect pieces to release as digital-exclusive weekly drops, with the first being “strong and edgy” filled with classic pieces and the follow-up being “a little more feminine.”
This movement further into the style industry for our Anti pop queen is bigger than clothes though. Here’s what Rihanna had to say in regards to being the first black female in her position, and what it means for the future of fashion overall:
“You’re going to be black wherever you go. And I don’t know if it’s unfortunate or fortunate, because I love being black. So, sorry for those who don’t like it — that’s the first thing you see before you even hear my voice. There are also other factors: I’m young. I’m new to the [LVMH] family. I’m a woman. Those factors do come into play, but I will not apologize for them, and I will not back down from being a woman, from being black, from having an opinion. I’m running a company and that’s exactly what I came here to do. I don’t know if it makes people uncomfortable or not, but that’s not even my business, you know? I do know that the reason I’m here is not because I’m black. It’s because of what I have to offer. That’s what they’re invested in. And the fact that I’m black is just that: a fact.”
— Rihanna, T Magazine
Read the full FENTY interview with Rihanna over on NYTimes.com, where you’ll see more clothing from the line like the look seen below:
Images: Kristin-Lee Moolman / T: The New York Times Style Magazine
