Exclusive: Rihanna Takes You Inside the Fall 2017 Fenty Puma Runway Show
There were plenty of memorable moments from the Fall 2017 season: Karl Lagerfeld’s space ship at Chanel, Raf Simons’ arrival in New York for Calvin Klein, Gigi Hadid and Tommy Hilfiger’s Los Angeles extravaganza—the list goes on.
But despite it all, there was just one show that truly merged everything you’d want in a 2017 fashion show: celebrity, spectacle, and, oh yeah, some actual fun fashion. That designer? None other than Rihanna, showing the third collection for her Fenty Puma line during Paris Fashion Week.
The pop-star’s past showings for the brand saw a haunted forest meets hall of mirrors, complete with goth-ified Hadids, for her debut in New York, and last season she featured modern day Marie Antoinettes. For Fall 2017, Rihanna upped the ante, (the Anti, if you prefer), as she took over Paris’ Richelieu-Louvois Library for a show that read equal parts runway (models walked top of long desks, rather than the traditional catwalk) and detention—except you actually wanted to be here. Here, in a video premiering exclusively on W, Rihanna explains the inspiration for the show:
“It’s a huge library, and I couldn’t think of anywhere better for the theme of this collection: back to school,” the singer explains in the two minute clip. “All the cliques, all the lunch tables, all the different personalities and attitudes and looks and styles and energies. I’m really excited about it.”
The video also provides a backstage look at the so-called Fenty Class of 2017, which is filled with the season’s most buzzed about models. Appearing in the clip are Joan Smalls, Slick Woods, Grace Elizabeth, Stella Maxwell, Hanne Gaby Odiele, and Dilone, all of whom appear both on the runway, as well as just before, receiving final touch ups from the designer.
Also making an appearance? None other than Cara Delevingne, a Rihanna bestie and upcoming co-star: the two will also appear on-screen together, alongside Dane DeHaan, in this summer’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. The model-turned-actress is seen running backstage post-show as one of the many clamoring to give their congratulations.
Bad girl? More like Most Likely to Succeed.
Related: How Street Style Stars Do Paris Fashion Week
Fall 2017’s Most Epic Fashion Show Locations, From Rihanna’s Library to the Louvre
The runway show for Rihanna’s Fenty x Puma Fall 2017 Collection took place at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France on March 6, 2017 in Paris, France.
Louis Vuitton showed its fall 2017 collection during Paris Fashion Week on March 7, 2017 in Paris, France inside the Louvre for the first time ever.
Koche showed its Fall/Winter 2017 collection at Folies Bergère, which is a historical cabaret music hall, located in Paris, France.
Alexander Wang showed at New York Fashion Week fall 2017 in Harlem’s abandoned RKO Hamilton Theater on February 11, 2017 in New York City.
A model walks the runway during the Olivier Theyskens show at Le Train Bleu restaurant as part of Paris Fashion Week Fall 2017 on February 28, 2017 in Paris, France.
Philipp Plein showed its fall 2017 collection during New York Fashion Week at the New York Public Library on February 13, 2017 in New York City.
Stella McCartney showed her fall 2017 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week at the Palais Garnier on March 6, 2017 in Paris, France.
A model walks the runway during the Lanvin show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall 2017 at Hôtel de Ville on March 1, 2017 in Paris, France.
Entering TommyLand for the Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2017 Fashion Show on February 8, 2017 in Venice, California.
Brandon Maxwell showed his fall 2017 collection during New York Fashion Week at 4 World Trade Center on February 14, 2017 in New York City.
