Rihanna Hires First Little Person As Savage x Fenty Lingerie Model

Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty lingerie brand is getting even more inclusive. The multihyphenated star has added another layer of diversity to her singing, songwriting, acting and fashion empire with the introduction of Tamera McLaughlin, Savage x Fenty’s first little person ambassador.

McLaughlin revealed the news by way of her Instagram and Twitter accounts earlier this week, posing in a scantily clad, matching black lingerie set by Savage x Fenty. “Go right ahead and purchase some products while you are here,” McLaughlin wrote on Twitter while posting a link to the lingerie brand’s website.

Of course, the addition of McLaughlin to the lingerie label is not entirely a surprise. Rihanna’s personal brand, from her beauty empire to apparel businesses, is known for inclusivity — something that has created envy throughout the fashion world.

The 2017 launch of Fenty Beauty included an unprecedented 40 shades of foundation, while the innerwear brand, which launched a year later, offers extended sizes, including bras from 30A to 42H and panties and sleepwear ranging from XS to 3X. Savage x Fenty has also showcased a diverse array of models in its fashion shows at a time when lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret faced backlash for exclusive marketing messages and near-perfect Angels. Rihanna took the all-in approach one step further when she added men’s basics and male models to the Savage’s line-up last fall.

The lingerie brand’s inclusive messages have helped create Rihanna’s impressive fanbase. Savage x Fenty by Rihanna has more than 4 million followers on Instagram, while active VIP members at the subscription-based brand rose more than 150 percent in 2020. Revenues grew by more than 200 percent during the same period.

In December, news began to circulate that the fashion entrepreneur was courting potential investors to the tune of $100 million in an effort to expand the Savage x Fenty business, a partnership with TechStyle Fashion Group, with its first activewear collection. Two months later, WWD first reported that Rihanna was putting the breaks on her luxury ready-to-wear partnership with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. The same day, Savage x Fenty said private equity firm L Catterton — in which LVMH has a stake — led a $115 million Series B fundraising round to help the lingerie brand scale as the innerwear market continues to grow amid the pandemic.