Rihanna’s love for Indian designers goes back 15 years, here are her best looks

For Fenty Hair launch, singer and entrepreneur combines jewellery by Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi

Rihanna wore a ruby choker and three-stone pendant by Indian designers at the Fenty Hair brand launch in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Getty Images

Rihanna embraced the works of two Indian fashion designers to launch her long-awaited Fenty Hair line. The Barbadian musician and beauty mogul combined jewellery by Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi Mukherjee in one look.

Indian fans praised the bold move on social media for coupling the fashion rivals' pieces. From Malhotra's High Jewellery collection, she wore a large choker with custom-cut rubies. From Sabyasachi's, she opted for a three-stone pendant featuring rubellite stones and a sparkling chain.

Malhotra, who recently opened a boutique in Dubai, is known for his bridalwear and for styling the who's who of Bollywood, both in films and on the red carpet. Bengali designer Sabyasachi, meanwhile, is known for his opulent saris and other ethnic outfits.

The jewels also complemented Rihanna's outfit at the Fenty Hair event in Los Angeles on Wednesday. She wore a stunning all-red ensemble, featuring an oversized leather jacket over a camisole. She paired the top with a tight-fitting leather maxi skirt and pointed-toe pumps with bedazzled ankle straps.

It is not the first time she has displayed her affection for South Asia or designers from the subcontinent. Earlier this year, the RnB singer appeared at a private concert in Jamnagar for the pre-wedding bash of billionaire heir Anant Ambani and his fiancee Radhika Merchant.

In 2021, she wore a low-cut neon-green polo courtesy of British-Indian designer Supriya Lele. She paired it with the designer's black sequin-embellished midi skirt.

The same year, Lele also posted a photo on Instagram showing Rihanna in her oversized biker jacket design.

In 2015, Rihanna was spotted at a sporting event in the US wearing a sequinned denim look by Ashish Gupta, whose works have also been spotted on Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus.

And in 2009, at a London gig, she was spotted in a studded grey embellishment by Indian designer Manish Arora, paired on top of her off-shoulder bodysuit.

However, the Umbrella singer has also received some backlash from fans over “cultural appropriation” claims. In 2021, she wore a diamond-studded pendant featuring what looked like the Hindu deity Ganesha.

However, as the Fenty Hair launch proves, Rihanna is only continuing to champion India and its timeless craftsmanship.