Before Zendaya claimed the title of CFDA’s “Fashion Icon” in 2021, before Doja Cat, Bella Hadid, or Julia Fox shook up the street style scene at every fashion week, all those crowns belonged to Rihanna.
If you’ve only known Rihanna’s fame through photos of her strolling the streets in distinctive fashion ensembles and her baby bump, stepping out of a show, a prestigious red carpet event with her fiancé A$AP Rocky, or her iconic performance at Super Bowl 2023, perhaps you haven’t fully understood this Barbadian “diamond.” Since the two-time mother decided to temporarily halt her music career at its peak to conquer another pinnacle of fame in the beauty world with the birth of Fenty Beauty, fans have been continuously yearning and disappointed. Although she no longer appears in the media to promote albums, Rihanna and her fashion choices have always been a topic of discussion and excitement in the entertainment and fashion industry.
Why is she always fashionably late to the most prestigious fashion shows and red carpets like the Met Gala, yet Rihanna is the most warmly welcomed name? Perhaps it’s due to her immense contributions to the fashion world, from being the “muse” of famous designers to a bona fide “It-girl” or “trendsetter.” One of those contributions is her talent for capturing everyone’s attention, be it the fans or the flashing cameras eagerly seeking Rihanna’s presence at every fashion week battleground in 2014. The CFDA’s “Fashion Icon” award that same year served as a testament to her credibility. Looking back at Rihanna’s playful interaction with fashion, the singer truly gave her all. But Rihanna isn’t a “player” who follows the rules; instead, she creates a new game and sets her own rules for the fashion industry.
From the legendary “naked dress” to her bold, seductive, and uniquely interpreted classic Chanel tweed outfits, the translucent ensembles of 2014 accurately mirrored Rihanna’s straightforward statement on the CFDA stage that year, “She can beat me, but she can’t beat my outfit.” Lanvin, Christian Dior, Comme des Garçons, Jean Paul Gaultier, Givenchy, Stella McCartney, and even Chanel—the presence of Rihanna in the front row made the fashion weeks of that year more vibrant and exciting than ever. It wasn’t just the red carpet; her fame in the fashion realm gained momentum as she was invited to participate in high-profile shows and became the face of major advertising campaigns. Rihanna became the representative face of Balmain’s Spring/Summer 2014 advertising campaigns. In an interview with the media, Olivier Roustering (Balmain’s creative director) once equated Rihanna’s name with the important things in his life. Prior to that, Rihanna had collaborated with River Island on two fashion collections and partnered with the cosmetics brand MAC to launch a lipstick line bearing her unique signature.
In the fashion landscape of that time, Rihanna, a rising fashion icon, had to “compete” with many stars who had equally unique fashion styles, epitomized by Lady Gaga. If Lady Gaga made waves in the fashion world with her abstract and artistically inclined appearances, Rihanna interpreted fashion in a more practical yet still distinctly unique and individualistic way. And the person behind the scenes, helping Rihanna not be “outshone” on every comparison scale, was longtime stylist Mel Ottenberg, along with the assistance of designer Adam Selman. Before becoming the most famous stylist-star duo in the fashion world, Mel Ottenberg had polished Rihanna’s name with a stylish wardrobe during her “Loud” tour in 2011. At that time, every girl and fashion enthusiast was “crazy” about the singer. With years of experience working with major fashion magazines and high-profile shows, Mel Ottenberg transformed an “Island girl” from a remote island into a “Bad Gal Riri,” from a “Beyoncé clone” to a one-of-a-kind Rihanna. Mel Ottenberg not only helped Rihanna always present herself flawlessly in front of the public with expensive outfits but also created fashion stories rarely told in the industry. It was an intriguing interplay of fashion, creativity, art, beauty, and music between a metamorphic “sorceress” and a beauty enthusiast who ceaselessly experimented with herself.
Although the fashion race has become more bustling with the participation of numerous reputable “candidates” such as Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Doja Cat, and Julia Fox, the myth that “even with just a nylon bag, Rihanna still looks beautiful” continues to resonate strongly in the fashion world. The images of Rihanna in 2014 remain an interesting story in both the past and present, serving as a credible testimony to her timeless fashion icon status.
