New York Fashion Week may have only just begun, but it’s already shaping up to be a season of high-octane shows and major celebrity style moments. So far, we’ve seen the likes of Jill Biden, Naomi Watts and Jude Law descend on the Hamptons for Ralph Lauren’s American fashion extravaganza, Proenza Schouler unveil its SS25 collection with Emily Ratajkowski and Ella Emhoff on the front row, and Dakota Johnson attend a Bulgari party in a silk slip dress featuring see-through lace panels — all before the official show schedule kick-off.
It’s only fitting, then, that the actual first day of New York Fashion Week should be a standout – and who better than Rihanna to ensure it was?
The singer made two surprise NYFW appearances on Friday, September 6: the first, on the front row at the Alaïa show, and the second to present an award at the Daily Front Row’s 11th Fashion Media Awards.
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To celebrate French luxury fashion brand Alaïa‘s grand return to New York, creative director Pieter Mulier took over the iconic Guggenheim Museum for a spectacular show complete with puffball dresses, sultry cut-outs, twists on American sportswear and a catwalk appearance from Kendall Jenner to boot.
But it was Rihanna who stole the show, arriving at the last minute in a corset bodysuit and custom, off-the-shoulder, crystal-covered mesh gown that made for quite the dramatic entrance.
The singer opted for yet another corseted look later the same evening, as she hopped across town to present the ‘Magazine Of The Year’ award to Katie Grand and Jahleel Weaver as part of the Daily Front Row’s Fashion Media Awards.
Rihanna’s second look of the night was also by Alaïa: a pale pink teddy coat from the designer’s AW24 collection, paired with a delicate chiffon halter dress sheer enough to reveal her matching silk corset underneath.
Here’s hoping these are just the first of many Rihanna appearances this coming fashion month. London next, perhaps?
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Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.