What Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty VIP Initiative Shows About Her Business Prowess

In light of Rihanna’s alleged deal with LVMH – the brand proposition that has already broken the internet despite there being no concrete evidence as to what it will look like – the fashion industry has become even more astute to the popstar’s business strategies. We’ve seen it all. An inclusive Fenty umbrella that has gone above and beyond to cast real women in its beauty and lingerie shows and campaigns, and a product offering that caters to all bodies. It shouldn’t be a groundbreaking model, but – shocker – even in 2019, it still is.

The best part, of course, is that there’s no marketing manager sitting behind Rihanna playing puppet master. It is all her, from the names of the lipsticks (mattemoiselle is a particular favourite) to the brand missives she shares ("Valentine's Just Got Extra AF").

For her next trick, the entrepreneur is launching monthly limited-edition boxes for Xtra VIP members. Every month, the chosen ones (who pay £38 a month, but can skip a month and not be charged) will receive a delivery of products, including a cheeky Xccessory and an Xclusive collector’s item, chosen by Rihanna or a special guest of her choice.

The first bumper edition from the resident bad gal herself, which retails for £46, features a tiger print chiffon one-piece with open back, matching chiffon robe, satin and lace eye mask, and a Truth or Dare collectible dice. “Cuffs, paddle or whip?” one side of the dice might ask, while another provides the simple direction, “blindfold me”. Members will also receive early access to new drops, save up to 25 per cent off every piece of underwear and have free shipping on orders over £38.

Yes, subscription services are a trad way of enlisting shoppers, but when you have an engaged audience (both the Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty underwear drops consistently overperform sales-wise) that hang on every launch, why wouldn’t you connect – and sell – to them at every given opportunity? The top tier brands in the LVMH stable that, according to rumours, Rihanna is about to join certainly have global reach, but they don’t have the level of Gen Z loyalty that the singer has harnessed for her brands, as well as her music.

And yes, the singer might have no formal design training, but being the universally known poster girl for her own successful Fenty empire has a different kind of value – one that LVMH reportedly paid $10 million for. A delivery box service doesn’t seem quite so old hat now, does it? Expect the businesswoman to get to werk on a whole new set of individual, accessible product initiatives for her next Fenty endeavour. The world is waiting.