“LVMH and Rihanna reaffirm their ambition to concentrate on the growth and the long-term development of the Fenty ecosystem, focusing on cosmetics, skincare and lingerie,” LVMH and Rihanna told WWD, citing the decision to put the ready-to-wear activity on hold as pending “better conditions”.
The pandemic left Rihanna estranged from the Fenty atelier in Paris and the Italian manufacturing outlets that are vital to the company’s direct-to-consumer retail model. For a hands-on designer – who once told British Vogue, “I know what’s gone into the making of every single piece… if I can’t wear my stuff then it just won’t work” – this separation, during an incubation period when Rihanna was still getting a handle on the luxury fashion market – proved too costly. While the US-based Fenty Beauty soared in popularity, the European Fenty maison never gained global traction.
