Rihanna Turns a Statement Lingerie Look Into a Manifesto

A big fuzzy coat over nothing but lingerie will always be a statement look, but Rihanna’s fashion sense is never just a statement. It’s a manifesto, and the singer found a way to elevate the look with some trophy vintage.

At an event in Los Angeles, Rihanna slipped into a fitted lace slip dress and matching sheer tights from Savage x Fenty’s new collaboration with Diesel. The mogul is no stranger to exposed lingerie, of course, but this time she styled her pieces with something else in which she’s extremely well versed: hard-to-find archival fashion. She slung a shaggy fur duster from Fendi on top. The shearling piece is dated to the 1980s during Karl Lagerfeld’s heyday at the Italian brand.

Although Rihanna has a special place in her heart for vintage John Galliano (creations from both his eponymous label and time at Dior), she’s no stranger to some archival Lagerfeld. Last winter, she wore a purple fur-lined Chanel coat from the 1990s during a Puma event. Her latest Fendi coat featured deep red and army green stripes which helped to tie in the camouflage hue of her lace intimates.

The big coat, tiny dress formula has been a recent go-to for Rihanna. In June, she styled a zebra print jacket (also ’90s vintage) with a black lingerie dress that barely poked out from underneath. A few days later, Rihanna flashed her black bra while wearing a vintage John Galliano mink while out in New York City. And, more recently, she blinged-out a dramatic cape coat and matching corset dress to wear to Alaïa’s New York Fashion Week show in September.

Rihanna spoke to reporters during her Savage x Fenty event on Thursday and gave some insight into the inspiration behind her outfit and her overall approach to turning lingerie into outerwear. “Lingerie to me should be worn anyway and anywhere that you want,” she said. “Whether you want it to be seen on display outside of T-shirts, inside a jacket falling off, or just to be cozy or just to have a little support.”