Rihanna’s Best Outfits: Her Most Iconic Looks Yet

From her glam red carpet gowns to her head-turning maternity style, here’s a look back at Rihanna’s best fashion moments to dateBy Nicole Briese  Updated on March 13, 2023 12:41 PM

• Share
• Tweet
• Pin
• Email

Trending Videos00:2800:34You might like×Gina Rodriguez and Husband Joe Locicero Welcome First Child Together — a Baby Boy!Taylor Swift Kicks Off Eras Tour with Career-Spanning 44-Song SetlistA 5,000-Mile-Wide Blob of Seaweed Is Headed for Florida, Threatening Tourism Across the CaribbeanTexas Hospital Dresses NICU Babies in Western Outfits to Celebrate Their First Rodeo — See the Photos!Halle Berry Shares Rare Photos of Daughter Nahla to Celebrate Her 15th Birthday: ‘Sweet Angel’Christian Siriano Remade Melissa McCarthy’s Oscars Dress Last-Minute After Her Original Was RuinedLenny Kravitz Brings Rocker Style to the Oscars 2023 Red Carpet in Plunging Silk BlouseAustin Butler and Kaia Gerber Attend 2023 Vanity Fair Oscars PartyMichael B. Jordan Shows Off His Smooth Style on the Oscars 2023 Red Carpet in Louis VuittonFlorence Pugh Takes a Fashion Risk in Teensy Shorts and Giant Ruffles at the Oscars 2023Kate Hudson Dazzles in Silver Mermaid Dress on the Red Carpet at the Oscars 2023Cara Delevingne Makes Her Oscars Red Carpet Debut in a Daring Gown with a Thigh-High SlitMichelle Yeoh’s Mom Celebrates Her Daughter’s Oscars WinWatch Lady Gaga Stop to Help Photographer Who Fell on Oscars 2023 Red Carpet‘The Little Mermaid’ Star Halle Bailey Wears ‘Princess’-Inspired Gown on the 2023 Oscars Red CarpetJanelle Monáe’s Custom Vera Wang Gown Adds a Pop of Brightness to the 2023 Oscars Red CarpetCate Blanchett Supports Sustainable Fashion (Again!) Wearing Archival Louis Vuitton at 2023 OscarsPregnant Rihanna Stuns in Sheer All-Black Gown Ahead of Her Performance at Oscars 2023‘Sister Wives’ ‘ Christine Celebrates Daughter Aspyn’s Birthday with High Tea: ‘I’m So Proud’Michelle Yeoh Wows in Sleeveless White Dior Gown on Oscars 2023 Red CarpetMindy Kaling Plays Peek-a-Boo in Bold Custom Vera Wang Gown on Oscars 2023 Red CarpetLady Gaga Surprises on Oscars 2023 Red Carpet in Fresh-Off-the-Runway Gown with Butt-Exposing Rear ViewPregnant Rumer Willis Celebrates Baby Shower with Mom Demi Moore and Family — See the Photos!Diddy Shares Rare Photo with All Seven of His Children: ‘Nothing Else Matters’Cher and Alexander ‘AE’ Edwards Share Steamy Kiss as They Make Red Carpet Debut at Versace ShowLeBron James Thirsts After Wife Savannah in Stunning Red Carpet Photos: ‘DAMNNNNNN’Pregnant Rumer Willis Shows Maternity Style Alongside Mom Demi Moore at Versace ShowDNA Results for Toast the Dallas Rescue Pup Are In! Find Out If the Animal Is a Coyote or a DogPregnant Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder Step Out for Pre-Oscars Celebration Ahead of Baby No. 2Jessica Simpson’s Daughter Maxwell Looks All Grown Up in HSN Appearance with Mom and Grandma TinaJason Kelce Reveals the Meaningful Inspiration Behind Baby Daughter Bennett Llewellyn’s Name‘1000-Lb. Sisters’ ‘ Tammy Slaton Shares Photos of Her Dramatic Weight LossScott Disick Shows Off Son Reign’s Bleach Blonde Hair Days After Kourtney Kardashian Goes BlondeSelf-Help Author Marianne Williamson Tries Again with Launch of 2024 Presidential CampaignJessica Simpson Shares Cheeky Photos from Getaway with Eric Johnson: ‘Stole My Lover’ for the WeekendJennifer Garner Makes Rare Appearance with Son Samuel, 10, as They Enjoy NBA Game CourtsideStars Attend The 2023 Film Independent Spirit AwardsMatthew McConaughey’s Kids Look All Grown Up as They Make Rare Appearance at Paris Fashion ShowAlex Murdaugh Prosecutors Say Jury ‘Delivered Justice’ With Murder ConvictionRescuers Waiting on DNA Test to Determine If Mystery Pup Found by Dumpster Is a Coyote or a DogAlex Murdaugh Found Guilty of Murdering His Wife and SonKellyanne Conway and George Conway Are in the ‘Final Stages of an Amicable Divorce’Charles and Camilla Announce the Destination of Their First Royal Tour as King and QueenMichelle Yeoh Drops F-Bomb, Dedicates SAG Award 2023 Win to ‘Every Little Girl That Looks Like Me’Ariana DeBose Tells Diego Luna to ‘Do The Thing’ — and Gets a Laugh from Angela Bassett — at the 2023 SAG AwardsEmily Blunt and John Krasinski Stun in Coordinating Stripes During Date Night at SAG Awards 2023Jamie Lee Curtis Expresses Her Love for Michelle Yeoh at the 2023 SAG AwardsPHOTO: JON KOPALOFF/FILMMAGIC ; MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY ; LARS NIKI/CORBIS/GETTY

Few stars have disrupted the style industry with as much force as Rihanna.

The singer spent years modeling designs from some of the world’s biggest fashion houses on the red carpet (and collaborating on her fair share) before launching her own collections with the likes of Armani and River Island. Now a 10-figure earning mogul with several clothing businesses under her Fenty company umbrella (ella-ella-ay), she’s smashing sartorial records left and right.

The first Black spokeswoman for Dior as of 2015 and the first woman to create a brand for luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Rihanna has called fashion her ultimate “defense mechanism.”

“I can compensate for all of my weaknesses with fashion,” the 2014 CFDA Fashion Icon winner, who showed up to the ceremony dripping in a crystal-covered mesh gown and not much else, said while accepting her award. She added: “Fashion should never be frustrating, it should be fun.”

Case in point? The 50-pound gold Chinese couture gown with a 16-foot-train that she walked the red carpet in at the 2015 Met Gala, or the voluminous pink Giambattista Valli creation she wore to the Grammy Awards in 2015.

Even the Oscar nominee’s maternity style was a cut above! “When I found out I was pregnant, I thought to myself, ‘There’s no way I’m going to go shopping in no maternity aisle.’ I’m sorry—it’s too much fun to get dressed up,” Rihanna, who welcomed her first child with A$AP Rocky in May 2022, told Vogue. “I’m not going to let that part disappear because my body is changing.”

Below, here are all of Rihanna’s most iconic fashion looks to date.

Rihanna at the Teen People Listening Lounge in July 2005

BRAD BARKET/GETTY

In her earliest appearances, Rihanna could often be seen in a belly-baring crop top and low-slung jeans, like the ones she wore at the Teen People Listening Lounge in 2006.

Rihanna at the 2006 CFDA Awards in June 2006

PETER KRAMER/GETTY

Max Azria designed the formal blue number Rihanna walked the carpet in at the 2006 CFDA Awards in New York City.

Rihanna at the MTV Video Music Awards in August 2006

JASON SQUIRES/WIREIMAGE

Rihanna’s look for the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, where she was nominated for best new artist in a video” for “SOS,” was short and sweet, consisting of a flared white mini-dress with a glitzy silver belt and mini studs along the hem.

Rihanna at the Fashion Rocks Concert in September 2006

CHANCE YEH /PATRICK MCMULLAN/GETTY

The Grammy winner stunned in N.Y.C. at the third annual Fashion Rocks Concert thanks to her metallic silver Zac Posen gown, side-swept chignon and berry lips.

Rihanna at the Billboard Music Awards in December 2006

JOHN SCIULLI/WIREIMAGE

Rihanna took home the award for female artist of the year at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas in a stunning white custom Zac Posen design with a plunging neckline and a pleated skirt that gave off serious Marilyn Monroe vibes.

Rihanna at the 49th Grammy Awards in February 2007

FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY

For Rihanna’s first Grammys ceremony on Feb. 11, 2007, she wore a gorgeous green Roberto Cavalli gown with a side cutout and a single strap.

Rihanna performs at the MTV Movie Awards in June 2007

KEVIN WINTER/GETTY

Rihanna’s getup for her 2007 MTV Movie Awards performance of “Umbrella” consisted of a leather tutu, dominatrix pumps with buckles all the way up her calf, a matching leather bra and a blunt black bob.

Rihanna at the BET Awards in June 2007

FREDERICK M. BROWN/GETTY

That same month, Rihanna showed off her sweeter side in a strapless ruched white cocktail dress by Hervé Leger at the 2007 BET Awards in Los Angeles.

Rihanna at the World Music Awards in November 2007

PASCAL LE SEGRETAIN/GETTY

Rihanna oozed old Hollywood glamour at the 2007 World Music Awards in her emerald green dress with a mermaid bottom.

Rihanna performs at the World Music Awards in November 2007

DAVE HOGAN/GETTY

For her performance at the event, Riri changed into a short black strapless gown with a flared tulle skirt.

Rihanna at a private dinner in June 2008

DONATO SARDELLA/WIREIMAGE

The pop star looked edgy and cool in a Gucci skirt and jacket while attending a private dinner by the brand with former Elle creative director Joe Zee in L.A on June 14, 2008.

Rihanna at the 2008 BET Awards

FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY

Giambattista Valli constructed the fluorescent yellow tiered gown that the “Rude Boy” singer wowed in on the 2008 BET Awards red carpet.

Rihanna at the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2008

FREDERICK M. BROWN/GETTY

Rihanna mixed and matched her 2008 MTV VMAs look to perfection, pairing a strapless Patricia Field top with a gold lame Peter Pilotto miniskirt and Cesare Paciotti heels.

Rihanna at the Met Gala in May 2009

CHANCE YEH/PATRICK MCMULLAN/GETTY

Rihanna interpreted the Met Gala’s 2009 theme of “The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion” with an androgynous Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo with exaggerated ruched shoulders.

Rihanna at the American Music Awards in November 2009

STEVE GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE

Rihanna’s black-and-white origami Marchesa frock with laser cutout roses for the AMAs in 2009 was a sight to behold.

Rihanna at her Rated R album release party in November 2009

SHAREIF ZIYADAT/FILMMAGIC

Collaborating with Leeora Catalan and design duo The Blonds, Rihanna brought this spiky sheath dress, which reportedly weighed 30 pounds, to life at her Rated R album release party at the Juliet Superclub in N.Y.C. in November 2009. “It was made of very heavy metal mesh, so kudos to her for wearing it!” Catalan told CNN of the garment.

Rihanna at an event in London in November 2010

FRED DUVAL/FILMMAGIC

Decked out in a gray corset top, a red satin skirt, beige pumps and a polka dot headband, Rihanna was ready to spread some cheer while turning on the Christmas lights at London’s Westfield Shopping Centre in 2010.

Rihanna at the Europe Music Awards in November 2010

JEFF KRAVITZ/FILMMAGIC

Rihanna’s white corset minidress for her Europe Music Awards performance in November 2010 was adorned with tufted flowers at the hips and back and topped off with a bejeweled crown.

Rihanna at the 53rd Grammy Awards in February 2011

DAN MACMEDAN/WIREIMAGE

Jean Paul Gaultier was behind the unique white ruffle frock with sheer inlays that Rihanna wore to the 2011 Grammys.

Rihanna at the DKMS 5th Annual Gala in April 2011

ANDREW H. WALKER/GETTY

The star dressed up for a good cause in April 2011, donning a tiered black Dsquared² dress to an event for DKMS — the world’s largest bone marrow donor center.

Rihanna at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2012

CHRISTOPHER POLK/WIREIMAGE

Rihanna wore one of her most daring looks yet at the 2012 Grammy Awards, for which she dreamed up a cut-to-there plunging black Giorgio Armani black silk gown with a center slit. She later admitted the ensemble was inspired by Michelle Pfieffer’s character of Elvira Hancock in Scarface.

“This is a collaboration between Mr. Armani and myself,” Rihanna told E! News on the carpet. “I helped him design this one. I wanted something … [simple]-but sexy and a little gangster at the same time.”

She finished the look off with Christian Louboutin heels.

Rihanna at a Stella McCartney Special Presentation in February 2012

SAMIR HUSSEIN/GETTY

The Ocean’s 8 star posed in a slinky hunter green Giorgio Armani slip dress with a thigh-high slit and dainty straps across a mostly open back for a Stella McCartney Special Presentation show. Her chunky gold choker and gold lids also expertly matched her Tom Ford sandals.

Rihanna at the TIME 100 Gala in April 2012

FERNANDO LEON/GETTY

As one of TIME‘s most Influential People in 2012, the songwriter attended the magazine’s gala in a strapless hot pink Marchesa creation with a high-low hem and a pointy bustline.

Rihanna at the L.A. premiere of Battleship in May 2012

JON KOPALOFF/FILMMAGIC

Rihanna co-designed the super sexy backless Adam Selman gown she wore to the L.A. premiere of Battleship on May 10, 2012. “I’ve gotta hold on to my outfit a little tighter than usual,” she joked to Access Hollywood of the frock.

Rihanna arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2012

GREGG DEGUIRE/WIREIMAGE

Between her then newly shorn pixie cut and her elegant white backless Adam Selman column gown, Rihanna caused a serious style stir at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards,

Rihanna promotes her Unapologetic album in November 2012

D DIPASUPIL/FILMMAGIC

Looking cool and casual in a pair of black leather culottes and a shiny black top with a gold chain necklace, Rihanna promoted her latest album release at an N.Y.C. Best Buy.

Rihanna walks the red carpet at the 55th Grammy Awards in February 2013

STEVE GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE

Rihanna’s stunning Azzedine Alaïa gown and long, loose waves struck the perfect note at the 2013 Grammy Awards.

Rihanna at the American Music Awards in November 2013

JASON LAVERIS/FILMMAGIC

After slaying the red carpet at the 2013 AMAs in a two-piece Jean Paul Gaultheir design, which consisted of a sequined bra top and a matching skirt with a sheer tulle fabric at the thighs, Rihanna was presented with the awards show’s first-ever Icon Award by her mother, Monica Braithwaite.

Rihanna at the 56th Annual Pre-Grammy Gala in January 2014

KEVIN MAZUR/WIREIMAGE

The makeup mogul’s style was all grown up at the 56th annual pre-Grammy gala on Jan. 28, 2014, when she showed up in a silky canary yellow Alexander Vauthier couture shirt dress with a flowing train, a deep V-neckline and a ultra high thigh-slit. Gold Louboutins pumps sparkled at her feet while Neil Lane diamonds iced her wrist, neck and fingers.

Rihanna attends the Miu Miu fashion show during Paris Fashion Week in March 2014

JACOPO RAULE/GC IMAGES

Dressed in a hugely oversized leather Prada jacket with a fur collar and trim, Rihanna kicked off Paris Fashion Week at Miu Miu in 2014.

Rihanna at the Met Gala in May 2014

FAIRCHILD ARCHIVE/PENSKE MEDIA/GETTY

Rihanna turned to Stella McCartney for her look for the 2014 Met Gala — a white long-sleeve crop top with a beaded collar and a matching maxi skirt — the theme of which was “Charles James: Beyond Fashion.”

Rihanna attends the CFDA Fashion Awards in June 2014

JAMIE MCCARTHY/WIREIMAGE

As the recipient of the 2014 Council of Fashion Design of America Fashion Icon Award, Rihanna brought the heat, donning a completely sheer Adam Selman gown covered only with Swarovski crystals (more than 216,000 of them) and a matching headwrap to the event. She later cited her decision not to wear a bedazzled thong with the dress as her life’s sole regret in Vogue in 2016.

“‘I just liked it better without the lines underneath. Could you imagine the CFDA dress with a bra? I would slice my throat,” she told the magazine. She added: “I already wanted to, for wearing a thong that wasn’t bedazzled. That’s the only regret I have in life.”

Rihanna at the amfAR Inspiration Gala in October 2014

AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN/FILMMAGIC

Wearing 2014 amfAR honoree Tom Ford, Rihanna turned heads in a Grecian white gown design with a super high thigh slit and a sheer bra with pink jewels at the breast.

Rihanna arrives at the 57th Grammy Awards in February 2015

JON KOPALOFF/FILMMAGIC

Rihanna’s voluminous Giambatista Valli silk-and-tulle gown with an empire waist all but took over the red carpet at the 2015 Grammy Awards.

Rihanna arrives at the Met Gala in May 2015

LARS NIKI/CORBIS/GETTY

On May 4, 2015, Rihanna made Met Gala history in an ornate gold couture gown with fur trim that she found online. The stunning piece took Chinese designer Gui Pei two years, or roughly 50,000 hours, to sew by hand and featured 50 pounds of embroidery and a sweeping 16-foot-long train.

Though it was perfect for the evening’s theme of “China: Through the Looking Glass,” it was so over-the-top, even the fashion powerhouse began to doubt herself. “I remember being so scared to get out of that car because I felt like, ‘I’m doing too much,’ ” Rihanna later told Access of her iconic look. “I was driving past the red carpet and I was just seeing gowns. I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’m a clown, people are gonna laugh at me.”

Rihanna at a Soho club in August 2016

RAYMOND HALL/GC IMAGES

Riri was a vision in a chartreuse fringe gown with sheer panels while heading to a club in SoHo, New York, on Aug. 28, 2016.

Rihanna walks the red carpet at the 59th Grammy Awards in February 2017

FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY

Armani Privé designed a head-turning black plissé ballgown skirt and a bold beaded orange crop top for Rihanna to attend the 2017 Grammys in. She set the look off with Chopard jewels galore.

Rihanna at the Met Gala in May 2017

KEVIN MAZUR/WIREIMAGE

Rihanna took her love of fashion to new heights in 2017, when she showed up to the Met Gala in an incredible multicolored Commes des Garçons creation that nailed the evening’s “Rei Kawakubo/Commes des Garçons” theme. Pulled from the brand’s 2016 runway collection, the 3D piece was reportedly inspired by “punks in the 18th century, which was a time of so many revolutions.” Rihanna’s lace-up Dsquared2 sandals completed the look.

Rihanna at the Cannes premiere of Okja in May 2017

GEORGE PIMENTEL/WIREIMAGE

In 2017, Rihanna made her Cannes Film Festival debut, hitting the red carpet for the premiere of Okja in an off-white Dior ballgown and a tiny pair of Andy Wolf Eyewear shades.

Rihanna at the Met Gala in 2018

STEPHEN LOVEKIN/VARIETY/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

At the 2018 Met Gala, Rihanna perfectly embodied the “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” theme by donning a bejeweled strapless mini dress with a matching collared robe by Maison Margiela Artisinal. A coordinating papal mitre (a ceremonial head-dress of bishops) finished off the spectacular look.

“It was heavy, every step was a squat,” Rihanna later said of the outfit in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “I promise you my butt gained from that night.”

Rihanna at the 4th Diamond Ball in September 2018

DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY

Alexis Mabille Couture was behind the white lace body stocking ensemble Rihanna hosted the fourth annual diamond ball in, which featured a full skirt overlay that twisted into a bow top. She elevated it even further with a bevy of Chopard jewels.

Rihanna at the 5th Diamond Ball in September 2019

STEVEN FERDMAN/GETTY

The evening’s hostess shone bright like a diamond on Sept. 12, 2019, in a black turtleneck Givenchy Haute Couture gown that cascaded down into a white double organza cage skirt.

Rihanna attends a Fenty Beauty event in Seoul, Korea, in September 2019

HAN MYUNG-GU/WIREIMAGE

The businesswoman showed off oversized suiting done right in a white Jacquemus blazer and trouser ensemble set off by a perfectly pink pop of lipstick.

Rihanna attends the Fashion Awards in London in December 2019

KARWAI TANG/WIREIMAGE

Janet Jackson presented Rihanna with the Urban Luxe Fashion Award at the 2019 Fashion Awards ceremony in London. She wore a mint green tube dress from her own Fenty collection for the occasion, complete with matching shawl and sheer gloves.

Rihanna poses for press at the Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 2 show in October 2020

KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY

Wearing little more than a lacy bra, a leather blazer with gloves and a pair of fishnet stockings, Rihanna commanded attention at a press call for the Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 2 taping in L.A.

Rihanna at the Met Gala in 2021

THEO WARGO/GETTY

Continuing with her streak of show-stopping Met Gala outfits, Rihanna showed up to the 2021 affair in an oversized sculptural coat dress featuring a high collar and flared hem from Balenciaga.

The gala also marked her red carpet debut with boyfriend A$AP Rocky, who coordinated with Rihanna in a multicolor quilted blanket look.

Rihanna celebrates Fenty Beauty in Los Angeles in February 2022

MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY

Rihanna played peekaboo with her baby bump in a green and pink Attico fringe top and pants set for a Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin appearance in L.A. in Feb. 2012. “I’m enjoying not having to worry about covering up my tummy,” she told PEOPLE at the event. “If I feel a little chubby, it’s like, whatever! It’s a baby!”

Rihanna attends the Dior fashion show in Paris in March 2022

STEPHANE CARDINALE – CORBIS/CORBIS/GETTY

Leave it to Rihanna to make lingerie high fashion. The singer wore a see-through negligee over a lacy bra and thong while sitting front row at the Dior fall/winter 2022/2023 fashion show in Paris in March 2022.

Rihanna at the launch of Fenty Beauty at Ulta Beauty in March 2022

KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY

To celebrate the launch of her Fenty Beauty line at Ulta in March 2022, Rihanna paired a long-sleeve peekaboo crop top with a sparkling column skirt. A thin silver chain draped across her stomach highlighted her baby bump.

Rihanna at the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiere in October 2022

GILBERT FLORES/VARIETY VIA GETTY IMAGES

Rihanna walked the red carpet at the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiere alongside her beau A$AP Rocky while wearing an olive green Rick Owens dress with a fitted bodice and structural detailing at the skirt. A pair of arm-length gloves and pointed-toe olive green heels finished off the glam look.

Rihanna at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show

Rihanna performing at Super Bowl LVII. MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY

Rihanna performed during the Halftime Show in a custom red Loewe ensemble, which was “designed to build volume in step with the dynamic scenography of the show,” according to the brand.

The outfit included a jersey catsuit under a sculpted leather corset, which showed off her baby bump, and a layered flight suit made of cotton canvas.

The singer finished the look with a 19 carat ruby and diamond ring and diamond earrings.

Rihanna at the 2023 Oscars

KEVIN WINTER/GETTY

Rihanna performed at the 2023 Oscars in a shimmering black ensemble, including a glamorous top that highlighted her baby bump with a cascade of jewels.

The singer paired the piece with black elbow-length gloves and wide-leg pants. She then finished off the look with dangling earrings and a necklace.