The LVMH-backed luxury brand is calling time after just two years

Less than two years after Rihanna and LVMH joined forces to launch luxury label Fenty, the maison is being put on hold.

WWD reports that the singer and the French luxury giant came to the decision mutually with LVMH saying in a statement, “Rihanna and LVMH have jointly made the decision to put on hold the RTW activity, based in Europe, pending better conditions.”

Rihanna is unsurprisingly said to be “sad” about the halting of the Fenty maison which had suffered in the global pandemic, with the singer unable to travel to Paris and Italy where the teams were based. On January 1, the brand stopped posting on its Instagram account and it is understood the e-commerce site will go dark in the next few weeks.

Focus will now shift to the rest of Rihanna’s growing Fenty universe with plans from LVMH to concentrate on Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin, as well as her lingerie line Savage x Fenty. Private equity giant L Catterton, in which LVMH has a stake, is reportedly investing in the brand. “LVMH and Rihanna reaffirm their ambition to concentrate on the growth and the long-term development of Fenty ecosystem focusing on cosmetics, skincare and lingerie,” LVMH and Rihanna added in the statement to WWD.

Both Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin have enjoyed huge success since their respective launches. When Fenty Beauty burst onto the scene in 2017 with its game-changing 40 shades of foundation, it caused a seismic shift within the beauty industry. With its innate diversity and inclusivity, Fenty Beauty set the benchmark for brands that could no longer get away with limited shade ranges and shameful lack of diversity in campaigns. The increase in beauty brands expanding their shades and representation over the last few years is now referred to as “the Fenty Effect”.

Although LVMH and Rihanna haven’t ruled out the possibility of restarting the brand again in the future, for now fans of Fenty will have to say goodbye to the house. But don’t let your sorrow last too long, knowing Rihanna there will be plenty more game-changing projects to come. Except for the album. Which is never coming.

For now revisit Rihanna’s latest Savage x Fenty show in the gallery below.