A look back at Rihanna's rise to stardom

Singer, actress, beauty mogul and now fashion designer – is there anything Rihanna can’t do?

Rihanna is reportedly set to launch her own fashion line. AFP 

Robyn Rihanna Fenty was just 16 when she was signed by Def Jam Recordings, and its then-president Jay-Z. She was an instant hit, and by the time she turned 18, she already had two albums under her belt, both of which peaked in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart.

This instant success is yet to falter for the Barbadian star, who is now one of the bestselling recording artists of all time, with 280 million records sold worldwide. Both Spotify and Apple Music cite the Grammy winner as the most streamed female artist in history. And with her ninth album set to drop later this year, she shows no signs of slowing down.

But music was only the start of her journey to superstardom. She landed starring roles in Hollywood flicks such as Ocean's 8, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and Battleship. In September 2017, Fenty Beauty was launched, which challenged the industry with its inclusive make-up range, offering 50 shades of foundation, making it an instant hit with beauty lovers around the world. The line was developed with Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey (LVMH) and was such a success, that the pair are said to be collaborating again, this time, on a high-end fashion label under Rihanna's name.

The line will mark the first time LVMH – which owns Givenchy, Celine and Dior – has launched a new label since Christian Lacroix in 1987. While nothing is confirmed yet, Rihanna was spotted in New York wearing a pair of sunglasses labelled Fenty, leading to further speculation. Given Rihanna's unwavering success in anything she seems to touch, a fashion line from her is bound to be brilliant.

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