Rihanna Reunites With Dior, Officially

Rihanna's back as the face of Dior — this time, though, as a spokesperson for the famous J'Adore perfume.

WWD broke the news on Tuesday, but reports of the partnership have been circulating for months. The signs have been there: She attended the brand's Fall 2022 ready-to-wear show back in March 2022 and, more recently, its Spring 2024 haute couture show in January. (She doesn't step out for just any fashion show...)

"The scent, that I have known and loved for so long, means so much to women," Rihanna said, in a statement. "I am especially looking forward to joining this adventure and contributing to it through my world, my story, my roots, as well as my creativity and my own femininity."

Véronique Courtois, chief executive officer of Parfums Christian Dior, added: "The choice of Rihanna to be the next face of J’Adore was obvious for us. Not only is she one of the greatest and most powerful artists of all times, she is also multitalented, a successful entrepreneur, a committed humanitarian, a mother of two and a singular beauty."

Rihanna made history when she became the first Black celebrity signed as a Dior brand ambassador in 2015, during the Raf Simons era. Shortly after the news broke, she told MTV on a red carpet: "It feels fantastic. It is such a big deal for me, for my culture, for a lot of young girls of any color. I think, to be acknowledged by Dior is just... it means a lot as a woman to feel beautiful, and elegant, and timeless."

The relationship continued even after Simons left Dior later that year: Rihanna collaborated with the house on an eyewear capsule in 2016 and — after she wore the now-famous "We Should All Be Feminists" T-shirt from Maria Grazia Chiuri's first collection — worked with Dior to donate proceeds to her nonprofit, The Clara Lionel Foundation. Their official partnership eventually fizzled out, but Rihanna has maintained ties to Dior's parent company, LVMH, through Fenty Beauty (which launched in 2017 through its beauty incubator Kendo) and the since-closed Fenty luxury label (which it backed).

This contract is obviously a little different, since it pertains to fragrance, but Dior's J'Adore campaigns are iconic: For two decades, they've starred Charlize Theron, who recently graduated to being a jewelry and skin care ambassador for the brand. Rihanna's first ad spot will be revealed in September; much like her first campaign for the house (part of the "Secret Garden" series), it will be photographed by Steven Klein. Consider us tuned in.

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