Having Conquered Harvard, Rihanna Is Now Being Honored by Parsons
Parsons School of Design is honoring the singer—and newly school-obsessed designer—alongside Eileen Fisher and Neiman Marcus at its annual benefit.
Rihanna in a sparkly jumpsuit made by a 22-year-old, Rihanna in a gigantic puffer coat sourced from a twenty-something in Finland, Rihanna in a Hillary Clinton t-shirt she literally took off a 25-year-old’s back: over the last few years, Rihanna has hardly hidden her appreciation for up-and-coming designers—something that’s finally getting official recognition in May with this year’s Parsons School of Design Benefit, which is honoring her this year alongside Neiman Marcus and Eileen Fisher.
“I feel a deep connection to the school,” Rihanna said in a statement. That much has been clear through her support of alums like Adam Selman, whom she unforgettably championed in a sheer custom dress covered in Swarovski crystals at the 2014 CFDA Awards, and Melody Ya Jun Lin, whose massive senior thesis jacket she wore onstage to perform at the 2016 VMAs.
Rihanna Is the Ultimate Fashion Icon
The rising star arrived at the Baby Phat Spring 2006 fashion show in a baby doll-style sundress with lots of eyeliner and nude-pink glossed lips.
Wearing baggy jeans and a crop halter top, Rihanna was cute and sporty at Z100’s Jingle Ball.
Rihanna went for the glamorous, diva look at the Conde Nast 3rd Annual Fashion Rocks Concert in a metallic Zac Posen gown.
Rihanna sparkled in a white, Marilyn Monroe-inspired dress after winning Best Female Artist of the Year at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards.
Rihanna donned a daring new asymmetrical bob and a neon pink, mermaid-style gown at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Rihanna visited TRL at MTV’s Studios in Times Square in a strapless bustier top, flared jeans and a knit beanie.
Rihanna was edgy and fun at the Nickelodeon’s 2008 Kids’ Choice Awards thanks to a new pixie cut and pink polka dot bustier top.
The singer played with color at the 2008 BET awards in a neon yellow Giambattista Valli gown and a playful purple lip.
Rihanna’s short, cropped hairstyle gave a little edge to her Jasmine di Millo ruffled dress at the RIAA and Feeding America’s Inauguration Charity Ball.
Rihanna went for the men’s wear look in a Dolce & Gabbana tux with ’80s-inspired shoulders to the ‘The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion’ Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Newly blonde, Rihanna arrived at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards in a ruffled Victorian-inspired Elie Saab Haute Couture gown.
Rihanna attended the Echo Award 2010 in a geometric high-fashion Alexander Vautiher bat-cap jumpsuit with serious shoulder pads.
Rihanna switched up her hairstyle–yet again. This time opting for a cherry red, voluminous curls.
Continuing her love affair with scarlet, Rihanna attended the ‘Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty’ Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art rocking a long, red French braid, rimmed eye make-up and maroon lip that perfectly coordinated with her sheer, embellished gown.
The singer looked effortlessly chic at the Stella McCartney presentation during London Fashion Week in a green silk slip dress, courtesy of the designer, with sun-kissed blonde shoulder-length hair.
Rihanna arrived to the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards in a backless white Adam Selman dress debuting, of course, a new cropped hairstyle.
The singer turned heads at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in a gorgeous sheer gown by Azzedine Alaia.
In a sexy Jean Paul Gaultier couture two-piece and coordinating head wrap, Rihanna was completely seductive at the 2013 American Music Awards.
Rihanna attended the ‘Charles James: Beyond Fashion’ Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a Stella McCartney two-piece dress that showed off her perfectly toned stomach.
Rihanna in custom Adam Selman at the CFDA awards.
Rihanna showed some skin in a Tom Ford gown at the 2014 amfAR LA Inspiration Gala. Her ponytail, long lashes and bright orange lip upped the overall glam factor of the look.
Pretty in pink. The singer filmed an episode of ‘Good Morning America’ in a Pascal Millet jumpsuit, blazer and faux fur stole.
Rihanna attends the ‘China: Through The Looking Glass’ Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a yellow couture gown from Chinese designer Guo Pei.
Rihanna looked gothic chic in a look of her own design during the FENTY PUMA by Rihanna Fall 2016 show at New York Fashion Week.
Showing off her killer body yet again, the singer attended the 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year event in a sheer, embellished gown and pointy-toed converse-inspired sneakers, both by Marc Jacobs.
Rihanna in Dior.
Rihanna in Altuzarra.
Rihanna in Kiko Mizuhara for Opening Ceremony.
Rihanna in Giambattista Valli couture.
Rihanna in Vivienne Westwood Red Label.
Rihanna’s been known to show her support in other ways, too: the recent grad Matthew Adams Dolan now makes the oversized, denim-heavy creations Rihanna’s particularly fond of in his TriBeCa studio while wearing a pair of powder blue furry Fenty slippers that she sent to him in a care package. Then there was the time she thanked her “favorite fan” Farren Fucci for his t-shirt by renting out an entire club, just so the pair could have a drink.
It’s about time, then, that the youngins get a chance to show some love back to someone so benevolent that earlier this month, Harvard University named her Humanitarian of the Year. Plus, Rihanna’s lately proven herself quite at home heading back to school, from her college campus acceptance speech to her fall 2017 Fenty Puma show in the National Library in Paris, where models marched down lamp-adorned tabletops while shredding some of the hundreds of rented books. If you thought she’d already reached peak athleisure levels then with slouchy varsity sweaters and slippers, just wait until she meets Eileen Fisher.
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