The singer and fashion and beauty mogul, 32, covers the May issue of British Vogue wearing an all-white suit and tie in one image and a denim blazer and sexy black bra in the other, both accessorized with a black durag by Stephen Jones Millinery.
According to the magazine’s editor-in-chief Edward Enniful, the headwear was Rihanna’s idea, communicated via Whatsapp message at 2 a.m.
“Did I ever think that I would see a durag on the cover of Vogue? No reader, I did not,” Enninful wrote in his editor’s letter. “Although this potent symbol of black life — of self-preservation, resistance and authenticity — has an important place in popular culture, it is rarely viewed through the prism of high fashion. Yet here we have the most aspirational and beautiful durag. How exciting.”
This isn’t the first time Rihanna has given the durag a high-fashion moment; she memorably wore a crystal-embellished version with her iconic see-through Adam Selman gown at the CFDA Awards in 2014.
And her Spring 2017 Fenty x Puma collection, which was shown at Paris Fashion Week, featured models sporting durags in pastel colors.
Don’t be surprised if the next Fenty collection includes Rihanna’s own durag designs.