The Rihanna for River Island show was always going to transpire unconventionally; so on Saturday, The Old Sorting Office transformed into a theatre featuring a stage of five lit boxes for the first ever showing of a celebrity-endorsed high street collection at London Fashion Week. Riri was never going to do things by halves – after all, this was a girl who commandeered an Boeing jumbo jet for the 777 tour.

And Rihanna didn’t lack for support from her own celeb clique: Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn were in the front row, pumping their fists to the beat of Jay-Z and A$AP Rocky. (After the show finished, they both bum-rushed the singer-turned-designer to flood her with congrats – that’s Delevingne hugging Riri in the picture above)

As for the show itself? Kicking off an hour after the scheduled start time, the first model appeared in a double denim ensemble that would have looked perfectly in place at any Rihanna gig of the night.

Clad in matching ensembles of monochrome prints, hooded crops and high neck dresses, Rihanna’s model army walked through the boxes in a ridged rotation. Slits were thigh-high, dresses were skin-tight and midriffs were bare – and did we mention, bras were strictly optional. Unless they were the only top you had on, of course. Minimal accessories featured in the show but gold hoops hung from every ear lobe and hair was slicked back with gel at the root and fell pin-straight past shoulders; these models oozed swag from every pore.

The hard bass of Phresh Out The Runway brought Rihanna for River Island to a close and RnB’s princess’ bow was met with mixed reactions. The show was certainly a performance that will be remembered; as for the clothes, only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: given the superstar’s credentials with her young, adoring fanbase, these clothes will sell and sell.

Words: Millie Cotton
Images: Harry Carr

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