Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty Unveils Sportswear With Help From Adam Selman
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Rihanna continues to raise the stakes in her Savage x Fenty brand.
Just days after the lingerie, innerwear and loungewear business revealed plans for its latest fashion show — “Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 4” on Amazon Prime — the retailer said it is adding sportswear to the assortment, with designer Adam Selman at the helm and a new cast of campaign stars.
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“We wanted to push the boundaries with how we define sport and sportswear and there is no one I’d rather do that with than Adam,” the megastar and cofounder of the company said in a statement. “We think of sport as how you move through your life. I want people to feel sexy, carefree and powerful when they put these pieces on and Adam is the perfect designer to carry out that vision.”
Selman has been named executive design director of both sport and lounge. But the duo have worked together before, including a 2020 Valentine’s Day capsule collection for the brand. He is also the designer behind Rihanna’s iconic crystal dress, the one she wore to the 2014 CFDA Fashion Awards.
“Rihanna and I have a rich history of working together,” Selman said. “We have such synergy creating together. When I learned about the opportunity at Savage x Fenty, I knew I wanted to play a role in the new activewear category. I have such respect for [Rihanna’s] vision and for what the entire Savage x Fenty team has built and I am thrilled to be part of the next chapter.”
The assortment of sportswear includes “lingerie-inspired” pieces — such as mesh sports bras in various impact levels, zipper fronts, fishnet details, cheeky cuts, high-waisted leggings and leggings with pockets, jumpsuits, a bodysuit and more — “perfect balance of power and playfulness,” the company said.
The new collection — which will be available Nov. 9 (the same day as the next fashion show), with VIP access on select styles starting Nov. 1 at savagex.com and in Savage x stores — also includes a new campaign, starring model Precious Lee and makeup artist Avani Gregg.
“I am [e]xcited to be part of this new extension of Rihanna’s world of Savage x Fenty,” Lee said in a statement. “It’s about feeling liberated enough to fully embrace your authentic self, your highest self. It’s your playground, so live your fantasy.”
Gregg added: “Savage x Fenty’s new sport collection is a fun and fearless take on activewear and I have had so much fun being a part of this campaign. Working with a brand that is so committed to individuality has inspired me to be the most powerful version of myself and I know this collection will have the same effect on others. As a collection rooted in functionality and style with pops of sexiness, it is truly a one-of-a-kind line.”
Ballerina Elsa Stallings, martial artist Nelita Villezon, model Joanna Pauline and roller skater Ayasha, all of whom have modeled for the brand before, have also returned for the sportswear campaign.
The sports collection comes in sizes XS to 4XL and ranges in price from $29.95 to $109.95, depending on membership level.
Savage x Fenty — which was cofounded as a lingerie brand by Rihanna and TechStyles Fashion Group (the same firm that launched Kate Hudson’s Fabletics) in 2018 and quickly gained attention thanks to Rihanna’s star power and its size-inclusive offerings — has been in expansion mode since pre-pandemic times. In January, the firm opened its first brick-and-mortar stores. That same month it was revealed that Savage, which spun off of TechStyle to become a stand-alone firm at the end of 2019, had secured an additional $125 million. The latest round, led by investment firm Neuberger Berman, comes on top of the $115 million Series B round Savage secured in early 2021, bringing the lingerie start-up’s total funding to around $310 million.
Both Rihanna and Savage x Fenty co-president Christiane Pendarvis have been named to the WWD x FN x Beauty Inc Women in Power List.
