Rihanna Opens Up About Her New Clothing Line, The Future Of Fashion And Her Next Album In New York Times Style Magazine

Rihanna has recently become the first black woman to run a major luxury fashion house after signing on with LVMH. With that type of power, it fits for the Fenty mogul to share her road to success (and the possibility of a new album) with the New York Times in an exclusive interview.

When compared to LVMH, Rihanna said that was crazy to say, but according to the numbers, she’s just as big if not more prominent than the iconic fashion brand. Rihanna revealed, “I’ve been slowly evolving throughout the fashion world. First wearing it, buying it, being recognized for my style and then collaborating with brands…I already had a relationship with them after the Versailles campaign and the makeup line, so they extended the offer to me, and it was a no-brainer because LVMH is a machine.”

Riri shared that although music was her main objective growing up, the fame she attained from it pushed her to do even more. She said, “I didn’t have these dreams when I was little. I had a dream of making music; that’s it. I didn’t even think about the fame part, and then that happened, and it’s like, “Do I really like this? How much do I really love music that I’m dealing with this?” Then the one-hit-wonder comment came straight out of the gate, and that put a fire under my ass, and I just never stopped working.”

She even credited Childish Gambino and Jaden Smith for pushing the envelope when it comes to fashion and masculinity. “I use myself as the muse. It’s sweatpants with pearls or a masculine denim jacket with a corset. I feel like we live in a world where people are embracing every bit of who they are. Look at Jaden Smith and Childish Gambino. They dare you to tell them not to,” Rihanna stated.

In regards to her next album, Rihanna confirmed it’s coming and gave a few details to keep the “Navy” at Bay. She told the publication that while she is working on a reggae album, it will not feature Lady Gaga or Drake. She also revealed that she will more than likely name it ‘R9’ because her fans have embedded that title in her head while pleading for a new album. She said, “How will I accept another name after that’s been burned into my skull?”

When it came to the racist and sexist history of the fashion industry, Rihanna didn’t come short of words expressing how she isn’t the one to back down to any disparities that may or may not come her way. She firmly stated, “It’s never alleviated, you know? 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 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. 

She continued, “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.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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‘Fenty’ will be releasing several new items exclusively on its website, from basics to special pieces. Rihanna said her millennial status is what influenced her distribution model. “I’m a millennial, you know? People are always looking for the thing that hasn’t made it online yet. And as a consumer, I hate seeing something on the runway and then having to wait six months for it.” 

She believes her way of introducing fashion to the masses is the new direction the industry is taking. Rihanna said, “With this, you see it, you love it, you can have it. I want to be as disruptive as possible. The brand is not traditional. There is no runway show. It’s a new way of doing things because I believe that this is where fashion is going to go eventually.”

Are you ready for new ‘Fenty’ fashion and new Rihanna music? We are too!