When Fenty Beauty arrived in 2017, one of its most talked-about features was something shoppers could see on the shelf: 40 foundation shades. For customers who had spent years mixing products or leaving a shop without finding a close match, the range addressed a familiar problem. Rihanna had entered the cosmetics business in partnership with LVMH, the luxury group behind some of the world’s best-known fashion and beauty names. The launch soon grew into a business of its own, separate from the singer’s recording career. The ownership arrangement that helped bring it to market would come back into focus years later, when LVMH began exploring a sale of its half-share.
Its September 2017 launch put the products in 1,600 stores across 17 countries. BBC reporting in 2021 put its sales at an estimated $100 million during the first 40 days after launch. By 2021, the scale of Rihanna’s business interests was reflected in her estimated fortune. Forbes put her net worth at $1.7 billion, attributing about $1.4 billion to her interest in Fenty Beauty. Rihanna and LVMH each held a 50% stake in Fenty Beauty, according to Forbes’ 2021 reporting.
Fenty Beauty did not begin as a small local cosmetics line waiting to find an audience. LVMH, Rihanna’s business partner, brought experience in the luxury market, while the singer already had an international following. The scale of the release reflected both. Fenty Beauty found a commercial audience quickly. Her connection to the products remained visible. Rihanna featured the brand on her social media accounts and spoke about its offerings, keeping Fenty in front of an audience that might otherwise have followed her mainly for music. The cosmetics business also gave her a source of wealth that did not depend on releasing albums or touring. Customers could buy Fenty through department stores and mainstream beauty retailers, including Boots in the UK. The products sat at a higher price point than some everyday make-up, but they were not confined to luxury department stores. That mix of positioning and availability helped the brand reach different groups of shoppers. Her other holdings included lingerie company Savage X Fenty, alongside earnings from music and acting. The figures showed just how much the cosmetics business had come to matter to her finances. The arrangement gave the singer a direct interest in the company while linking the brand to a group with an established presence in luxury goods and cosmetics.