The Fenty Empire

She has won nine Grammys, been awarded Harvard Humanitarian of the Year, performed at the Super Bowl halftime show (pregnant), built two multi-million dollar companies and was given the first-ever Icon Award at the American Music Awards. It’s hard to think of something she can’t do. 

Rihanna, by the name of Robyn Fenty, was born on February 20, 1988, in Barbados to a Barbadian father and a Guyanese mother. During high school, Fenty started a girl group with two friends, and in 2004, she attracted the attention of Evan Rogers, an American record producer. He helped Fenty record a demo that led to an audition with the rapper Jay-Z, who at the time headed the Def Jam record label. He soon signed the budding vocalist.

Many celebrities have created beauty companies that extend past their original brand. This includes Rhode skin by Hailey Bieber, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez, r.e.m Beauty by Ariana Grande, among others. Rhianna’s beauty brand, Fenty Beauty, stands out among the masses. Launched in 2017, Fenty beauty ranks number one, bringing in $573 million in revenue in 2018 and currently valued at $2.8 billion. 

Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty in 1,600 stores across 17 countries in 2017. According to Rihanna, Fenty Beauty was created “so that women everywhere would be included,” focusing on a wide range of traditionally hard-to-match skin tones, developing formulas that work for all skin types and pinpointing universal shades. Fenty’s original line consisted of 40 shades of each concealer and foundation, offering way above and beyond the spectrum of the current limited-range cosmetic lines. Fenty allowed women to find themselves in the brand and feel represented.

Some of the company's bestsellers include the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminzer, Blurring Skin Tint and Match Stix Contour Skinstick. 

But wait — there’s more. Fenty Beauty isn’t Rihanna’s only million-dollar brand. In February, her lingerie line Savage X Fenty raised $115 million in funding at a $1 billion valuation. The company, which launched in 2018 as a joint venture with TechStyle Fashion Group, counts blue-chip investors like Jay-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners and private equity firm L. Catterton as shareholders. In an interview, Rhianna told Vogue, “Women should be wearing lingerie for their damn selves. I can only hope to encourage confidence and strength by showing lingerie in another light.” The line includes an extensive sizing range and a body-positive message for women who have previously been excluded from the lingerie market. Bras are available from 32A to 44DD, with lingerie, undies and loungewear coming in sizes from XS to 3XL. 

In addition to being created by the icon Rihanna herself, part of what makes both Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty so successful are their focus on inclusivity. Rihanna is a trailblazer in the market, breaking boundaries in both her cosmetic and lingerie lines. Fenty’s extensive shade range created what is known as the “Fenty Effect.” Beauty brands — niche, established and those in between — began expanding their shade ranges to accommodate a wider variety of skin tones. Forty shades became the new standard. Rihanna proved the importance of visibility for all women and equality in the beauty and lingerie industries. 

All women deserve to feel sexy in their skin. Thanks to Rhianna, brands know that just appealing to one skin tone or body type is not enough.