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Fresh off announcing her pregnancy on the steps of the Met Gala, Rihanna has some more news: her beauty brands Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin are the latest partners of the Women’s NBA team New York Liberty.
“There is no energy and spirit like New York City’s. And the women of the New York Liberty exemplify such beauty, power and strength, so to have Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin become a part of their journey this season is incredible,” said Rihanna, founder and CEO, in a statement. “We’re excited to partner with them to get their game faces on.” The announcement comes ahead of the team’s Friday return to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for a pre-season match-up, ahead of the official 2025 season tip-off on 17 May.
“New York is where we launched Fenty Beauty. We, and Rihanna, have deep roots and love for this city, so the NY Liberty was a natural first WNBA partner for us,” says Heather Fisher, CMO of Fenty Beauty. “Everything we do with Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin not only upholds Rihanna’s mission of ‘Beauty for All,’ but reflects her personal connections and inspirations. They’re reigning champs and a powerhouse team and the NY Liberty’s incredible display of female beauty, power and strength is a perfect match for us.”
It’s not Fenty Beauty’s first sports tie-up. Past partnerships and sponsorships include the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, as well as the WNBA All-Star Weekend. At the Olympics and Paralympics, volunteers awarding medals to athletes received Fenty makeup kits for their big moments. At the WNBA All-Star weekend, Fenty Hair threw a party with gift bags full of product. This does, however, mark the brand’s first team sponsorship. For New York Liberty’s part, this is the team’s second beauty partnership, after partnering with Nyx back in 2023. This latest alliance, however, proves that the industry’s investment in the WNBA shows no signs of slowing.
“The New York Liberty are thrilled to team up with Fenty Beauty — a trailblazing brand that shares our values of championing women and celebrating individuality, authenticity and confidence,” Keia Clarke, CEO of New York Liberty, said in a statement.
As the official beauty partner, Fenty Beauty logos will feature on the team’s official pre-game warm-up jackets, as well as their shooting shirts worn for both home and away games. Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin will also lean into in-arena activations with exclusive products — including via the Liberty’s famed mascot, Ellie the Elephant.
Fashion and beauty are now well and truly intertwined with the WNBA, which exploded into the mainstream last year, breaking viewership and stadium ticket sale records. In 2024, the WNBA averaged 1.19 million viewers on ESPN platforms, up 170 per cent from 2023. (In response to the growing interest, all WNBA pre-season games will be broadcast or streamed for the first time.) Fashion fast came on board. (Off-White announced a multi-year partnership with New York Liberty in September last year.)
But before fashion engaged, beauty was already in the mix. Before Nyx’s 2023 New York Liberty partnership, Glossier became the first beauty partner of the WNBA in 2020 and remains a key sponsor for the league. Also in 2023, textured haircare brand Mielle signed a deal to become the WNBA’s official haircare partner. Last year, Urban Decay renewed its year-in partnership with the Los Angeles Sparks. And earlier this year, Sephora announced a partnership with the Golden State Valkyries.
For New York Liberty, Fenty Beauty’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity via expansive shade ranges and long-lasting formulas makes it a solid fit. “As a brand led by a fearless female, we recognise the importance of spotlighting these female athletes and the need for equity in women’s sports,” Fisher says. “While we’ve worked with individual athletes in the past, this is our first full team moment. We’re excited to help support them as a collective and also their own individual beauty routines because that’s what we’re all about — expressing individuality and building community. The New York Liberty has the full support of the Fenty family so we’re excited for a great season together.”
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