Rihanna’s ambitious high-fashion venture with Louis Vuitton, Project Loud France, reportedly lost $36 million. Launched in 2019, the line was expected to bring together luxury with inclusivity, but the COVID-19 pandemic derailed the project. Travel restrictions prevented the singer from meeting designers or visiting factories, slowing production and sales.
Boss Business Problems
Priced at the upper end of luxury fashion, pieces included a $1,700 coat and $1,000 shirtdress. This price range would actually put the items out out of reach for many of her fans. Despite the high-profile Paris launch and Vogue magazine coverage, the line struggled from the begining. Rihanna and LVMH decided in 2021 to close the venture and redirect focus to her successful Fenty Beauty cosmetics and Savage X Fenty lingerie brands.
By 2021, Rihanna and LVMH made the difficult decision to close Project Loud France, refocusing their energies on her already thriving Fenty Beauty cosmetics line and Savage X Fenty lingerie brand.
The Barbados-born superstar, now 37, had initially invested over £25 million (roughly $32 million at 2019 exchange rates) matching LVMH’s contribution. Even with such a sizable personal investment, the luxury fashion venture could not overcome the pandemic’s impact. This was a rare and costly misstep for the singer turned businesswoman.
While Project Loud France flopped, Rihanna’s other enterprises flourished. Fenty Beauty became a global cosmetics powerhouse, and Savage X Fenty revolutionized the lingerie market with its focus on diversity and inclusivity. By 2022, she had become the world’s richest female musician–and a billionaire.
She may be facing more business challenges. Fenty Beauty ownership could shift, according to reports.
LVMH is reportedly considering selling its 50 percent stake in Fenty Beauty, with investment bank Evercore reportedly managing the confidential process, according to Reuters. The potential move seems to reflect LVMH’s strategic portfolio adjustments. Losing LVMH’s partnership would impact Fenty Beauty’s access to its extensive global infrastructure, supply chain, and distribution networks.
Despite the closure of her high-fashion line and possible changes in Fenty Beauty’s ownership, Rihanna remains a billionaire, with an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion. The mother of three has seen her cosmetics, skin care, and Savage X Fenty lingerie lines continue to thrive.
