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Rihanna's River Island Fashion Show: What the
Posted on: 02/17/13
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The pop princess made her designer debut at London Fashion Week, which some called "hideous" and "porny," while others commended the line, saying "it's got Rihanna's name all over it."


 

Rihanna's first ready-to-wear collection debuted Saturday during London Fashion Week, and the reviews are in.

While some thought the pop singer's collaboration with British retailer River Island was a creative, sexy and influential debut into the fashion world, others ripped the designs apart, calling it "hideous" and borderline trashy, if not straight up pornographic. Love it or hate it, all seemed to agree that the line fully reflected Rihanna, and for that, the singer is -- as usual -- Unapologetic.

Here's what fashion critics are saying of the debut line, which hits River Island stores on March 5:

Huffington Post's Rebecca Adams:
"RiRi was an hour late for her nine-minute fashion show. We know timeliness isn't de rigueur during fashion week, but making attendees wait a whole hour? Even we can't pretend to check emails on our iPhones for that long. Nipple-baring, crotch-flashing mesh outfits and bra tops aren't exactly what a stylish gal wants to throw on for a casual night out.The entire collection was a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen. … Rihanna didn't technically design the clothes… Did she even touch the fabric she draped the models in?"

The Daily Beast's Tom Sykes was perhaps the most verbal critic:
“There were few who anticipated a fashion triumph, but, even allowing for the limited expectations, Rihanna’s collection for River Island as brought forth in London tonight was a horror show. The clothes were hideous and without an ounce of panache or style between them. True, there were some consolations. For example, if you really, really like belly buttons, if you are totally nuts for navels, then this could be the collection for you. If you only feel capable of wearing clothes on the lower half of your body if they are slashed up to your waist, then again, you are in luck. Similarly, if you were a guy hoping for a one night stand and a girl started chatting to you in a bar wearing anything from the Rihanna for River Island collection, you could feel fair confident you’d be getting lucky. The only lingering uncertainty in your mind would be whether or not she would take a credit card."

Pedestrian TV:
"The clothes were unapologetically RiRi and her Rihanna Navy will lap it up regardless of design merit or innovation, if only for the kind of bragging rights Rihanna takes an inordinate amount of pleasure in."

The Associated Press's Gregory Katz:
“No one went to Rihanna’s Saturday night debut as a fashion designer expecting demure dresses set off with tasteful pearls. So no one was surprised by the double-volume hip-hop music, smoke machines and champagne that greeted guests at the unveiling of her Rihanna for River Island collection.”

The Telegraph's Olivia Bergin:
"The Telegraph had been told on good authority that the singer's debut collection for River Island would garner 'surprise,' but in fact this offering carried the Bajan's style DNA through and through."

New York Magazine's Alex Rees:
"The venue — a cavernous old post office — was very dark and smelled like a malfunctioning smoke machine."

MTV Style's Chrissy Mahlmeister:
“We’re totally on-board with her comfy girly-yet-grunge pieces. She kicked off her show with Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “Clique” blasting to a light show on a multi-level platform stage, and then sent out a two-piece denim ensemble for her opening look. She remixed traditional denim overalls but cutting them into two pieces and adding an extra layer of baggy jeans (literally) on top of a lighter pair, which we’ve never seen before.”

MailOnline's Toni Jones: 
"While the feel of the collection was quite young, Rihanna also included some seriously elegant maxi dresses, dip-hemmed shirts and digital print separates that will find a home in the 30 something market… Models were the kind of cool girls every 16 year old wants to be and the hip-hop soundtrack kept her young fans happy." 


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