Does Rihanna's Chopard deal shine bright like a diamond?
The price of “Black cool.”
“Black cool” has long been a form of currency. Our language, music and even our body parts are often brokered off to the highest bidder or most industrious appropriator.
The world of high-fashion pays “homage” to black culture quite frequently without permissions and admission.
However, once in a while, a brand is insightful enough to harness that “cool” in a thoughtful manner.
Grammy Award winning superstar, Rihanna née Robyn Rihanna Fenty partnered with luxury jeweler Chopard in 2017 to develop a collection that was inspired by her Barbadian heritage. The “Rihanna Loves Chopard” line was created in hopes of attracting millennials to the 150-plus-year-old Swiss brand and was first spotted on notables (including Rihanna) at the Cannes Film Festival that year.
Ri Ri, which the 31-year-old is affectionately called by her legions of fans, is a bonafide style icon. Her Instagram account alone boasts over 73 million loyal followers that all salivate over her every fashion conquest. So, yes, Chopard was wise in partnering with Fenty -- who has dominated the best-dressed lists for the past few years -- but, was this only a short-term win for Ri? And a long-term rebranding strategy for Chopard?
Rihanna likely hauled in a pretty penny for lending her name to the 17-piece collection. However, the diamond-detailed geometric pieces, that start at $1,793, were not especially ground-breaking. Chopard notes that the pieces were inspired by “the lush gardens of Barbados and the electricity of Carnival.” That description translates to multicolored gemstone chandelier earrings and ethically-certified rose gold green ceramic bangles -- that are all admittedly palatable. But, is that enough? Did Chopard consult with Caribbean designers? Did the brand help launch a Barbados-based incubator for emerging jewelers?
The signs all point to no.
According to Chopard, the collection was co-designed with the company’s co-president and creative director Caroline Scheufele. That’s it. No mention of added value for any person of color, other than Ri, who already has a successful collaboration with Puma, dubbed Fenty Puma. Additionally, as of May 2019, Rihanna partnered with fashion powerhouse LVMH to present a full high-end fashion collection -- dubbed Fenty, which will include ready-to-wear and accessories.
But, the question remains, where is the continuing value in people of the African Diaspora lending their version of “black cool” to prestige-brands? And when will we start harnessing our own star power?
But, where is the continuing value in people of the African Diaspora lending their version of “black cool” to prestige-brands? And when will we start harnessing our own star power?