There Was Screaming, Cheering, and Dancing at the Savage x Fenty Show’s NYC Premiere

Nothing Rihanna does is average. Her Savage x Fenty brand continues to push the boundaries and redefine the concept of a runway show. Likewise, she certainly would never throw an average party. “It’s about changing things up and also challenging ourselves to expand,” Rihanna told Vogue. “Not only with our show, but with our level of inclusivity and what that means to us.”

On Wednesday evening, the Bajan mogul flew across the country to host an immersive experience that made guests feel like models. New York City is the original location of the lingerie label’s presentations, so it only made sense for the brand to return home. “Since the pandemic hit, we moved our productions to the West Coast,” explained Rihanna. “It was nice that the West Coast got something, but we were like, we need to come back to the East Coast and give them something as well.”

The Glasshouse was transformed into an IRL version of volume 3 of the Savage x Fenty show. There was what the brand calls a pleasure room filled with chandeliers and roses, and the label also set up a simulated elevator, which made for the perfect photo op for attendees. Bartenders whipped up specialty cocktails with fun names—like the Cold Hearted Snake, Juicy Purple, and 9.24 (the day the show officially airs on Amazon Prime Video). After stopping by the elevator to chat with Vogue, Rihanna made her way to the center of the dance floor, which, by the way, was transformed into a reflective mirror emblazoned with the Savage x Fenty logo. Moments before the screening, she grabbed the microphone and thanked guests for coming. “Make sure you have your eyes on the screen, because we’re about to start watching this shit,” Rihanna playfully instructed us before the fashion show was streamed across an extravagant floor-to-ceiling screen.

In an effort not to spoil anything, I will say that there are quite a few jaw-dropping surprise appearances throughout the theatrical production. Rihanna gushed over Erykah Badu’s scene. “That’s a baaad bitch,” Rihanna lauded. “She is making the appearance.” And fashion show models couldn’t help but scream and shout with joy as they saw themselves for the very first time walking in the Savage x Fenty show. “When I saw myself on the screen, I was like, Damn, is that me? Oh, that’s me for real,” Nyja Abdullah energetically told Vogue. Regardless of whether you’re physically in the show or not, Rihanna has a magical way of making everyone feel like they are a part of it, thanks to the breadth of inclusion and representation.

And as expected, the lingerie in this collection also pushes the envelope, with an assortment of harnesses and chain mail designs. “We’re not named Savage for nothing,” said Rihanna. “The girls are gonna push the boundaries.”