DONOVAN’S EXCLUSIVE: Rihanna Expands Her Forever Growing Empire; Readying Luxury House With LVMH

PARIS — Rihanna‘s empire keeps growing and her bank account is only getting bigger.

DM Fashion Book could officially confirm that LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, better known as LVMH and Rihanna have been in secret talks to launch a luxury house under her name, according to multiple sources.

The international pop star is partnering with LVMH, the world’s largest luxury group to launch her namesake label.

According to multiple sources, both parties have been in secret discussions to launch a luxury house under her name. That would make it the first fashion brand industry titan Bernard Arnault has launched from scratch since Christian Lacroix in 1987.

LVMH has already handpicked a clutch of employees from within, including some from Louis Vuitton and Celine, to work on the project in tandem with Rihanna and some of her key associates, sources said.

Details about the launch and its timing could not immediately be learned. LVMH officials declined comment Wednesday.

This past Tuesday, Riri ablaze the Internet with speculation about the origins of the bold, gold shades she wore while stepping out in Manhattan — her Fenty brand name spelled out across the temples. Sources said the music star was simply test-driving a prototype, while dropping a colossal tease about her next major foray beyond music.

Last spring 2018, DM Fashion Book reported that the popstar, fashion designer and beauty mogul inked a deal with TechStyle Fashion Group for a lingerie line (see it here).  The collection, “Savage X Fenty,” was released on May 11, 2018 (see it here).

In 2016, we reported that Rihanna inked $10 million beauty deal with LVMH for her, Fenty Beauty (see it here). The official collection launched in September 2017 (see it here).

Riri previously collaborated with MAC Cosmetics in 2013, she represented Viva Glam lipstick in 2014 to raise funds for AIDS research, produced seven fragrances for Parlux Ltd., released a sneaker collection with Puma, debuted her first Fenty collection for Puma during New York Fashion Week, collaborated with Manolo Blahnik on a capsule collection and founded a beauty and stylist agency called Fr8me with managing partner Benoit Demouy, formerly of the agency Tracey Mattingly.

It is understood her collection with LVMH will span ready-to-wear, leather goods and accessories, and could be released in tandem with her ninth album, expected out sometime later this year, one source said.

For LVMH, the Rihanna line signals a further move outside its comfort zone of heritage brands as it continues to diversify its holdings, having recently invested $2.6 billion in luxury travel operator Belmond Ltd., owner of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train and hotels including the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro.

Rihanna‘s Fenty Beauty products racked up sales north of $100 million in a matter of weeks, and was hailed as a transformative brand.

It also cemented Rihanna as one of the hottest-selling celebrities in the world of licensing.

Just a year after its launch, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna is a digital innovator and champion for diversity, using its platforms — 6.3 million Instagram followers, 490,000 YouTube subscribers and 372,000 Twitter followers — to showcase makeup on women of all complexions and sizes. The brand engages with its followers regularly, reposting user-generated content and collaborating with avid fans on videos and posts.

The Bajan beauty’s proximity to LVMH stretches back to at least 2015, when we reported that Rihanna was the first Black girl to front a Dior campaign. She also partnered with Dior on a line of futuristic, reflective sunglasses back in 2016 (see it here).

Sources inside LVMH describe her as a hands-on type who is extensively involved in product development. It is understood LVMH started assembling her fashion team about six months ago in Paris, with the project being overseen by Sidney Toledano, chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH Fashion Group, a stable of fashion houses that includes Givenchy, Celine, Kenzo and Marc Jacobs.

Rihanna’s talent and beauty have made her a favorite of fashion designers worldwide. The Barbados native has previously modeled for Gucci, Emporio Armani and Balmain.

She made her debut in design in 2013 with British high-street brand River Island, creating a collection of clothing and accessories.

Photos Credit: Rihanna’s Instagram

Some reporting via WWD