At just 31-years old, Robyn Rihanna Fenty – known simply as Rihanna – is already one of the most influential women in the world. Since 2005, she has had a booming career as a singer, but in recent years, Rihanna’s influence has expanded into the business world. Her makeup company, Fenty Beauty, has taken the world by storm. Lauded for its high-quality products and inclusive shade range, Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty line has impressive origins and an even more promising future.
Before Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty is far from Rihanna’s first successful venture. For a decade and a half, she has been producing internationally beloved music. She’s the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, thirteen American Music Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, to name just a few of her accolades. In 2017, however, she decided to shift her talents in another direction: the world of beauty.
Fenty Beauty Bursts onto the Scene
Launched in September 2017, Fenty Beauty was reported to have earned $72 million in sales within the first month. To say the beauty line took the world by storm would be an understatement. Its focus on self-expression, inclusivity, and makeup as a form of expression resonated with people around the world.
The Importance of Inclusivity
Ask anyone about what makes Fenty Beauty stand out, and they’re likely to mention its wide shade range. As a woman of color in the entertainment industry, Rihanna knew firsthand that there simply weren’t enough shades for women of color. Fenty Beauty came out the gate with 40 shades of foundation; this number eventually expanded to 50. This incredible variety of shades is much more diverse than what most makeup companies carried, and it made the statement that all women of any color deserve representation.
Awards and Accolades
Fenty Beauty has been around for less than two years, but it already has several accolades under its belt. Its most impressive one, however, may be its place among Time magazine’s 25 Best Inventions of 2017. Rihanna’s ingenuity did not go unnoticed, and this is reflected in both its sales and accumulated awards. Perhaps what matters most in the end is how beloved it is by fans and how it allows women around the world to feel comfortable in their own skin.
Where Will Rihanna – and Her Brand – Go in the Future?
Rihanna has already found incredible success with her business, and her reach will only grow with her latest endeavor. Her new fashion brand, Fenty, launched in May 2019 with the luxury fashion group LVMH, which also owns Louis Vuitton and Dior. Rihanna is the first woman and the first person of color to head a brand with the fashion house. With the wide opportunities for creativity and innovation within the luxury fashion world, Rihanna will undoubtedly be breaking more boundaries – and records – in no time.
