Rihanna Gets Real About Inclusivity, Power & Sending The Perfect Nude
Last night, Rihanna more than confirmed that she can easily outwork any businessman. She's a business, man. Victoria's Secret was founded by Roy Raymond a little more than 40 years ago, and in only two years, Rihanna has put her game down, flipped and reversed the lingerie industry forever with her brainchild, Savage x Fenty, and the brand's annual star-studded fashion show is proof that Queen Rih won't be slowing down anytime soon.
Inclusivity, power, and uninhibited sexuality are understatements when it comes to taking a look at Rihanna's resume, and last night's fashion show was a reflection of all of those things.
Featuring appearances by Normani, Big Sean, ASAP Ferg, The Migos, and Laverne Cox, Rihanna promises that the show is "the most bold, sexy, super energetic experience you can imagine," and will premiere on Amazon Prime Video next Friday. According to Rih, although body positivity and melanin appreciation may be a new concept to mainstream industries, making inclusivity king was part of her vision all along. After the show, she told The Business of Fashion:
"There are a lot of women out there who are feeling in the dark, invisible. 'I can't try that on because I'm not made that like.' This is where you feel safe, right here at Savage."
In an interview with ELLE, the singer shared that her lingerie line is more than just a business venture, it was an industry necessity. She explained:
"It's important, right? You belong in these pieces. You, me, trans women, women of all sizes, paraplegic women, all women are important women! All women belong here, on the biggest platform I can give them."
When Rihanna was asked why she handpicked artists like Normani and Halsey to participate in the show, the 31-year old mogul had this to say:
"I wanted to highlight women who are powerful. To me, power in whatever way you master it is very sexy. And with someone like Normani, you know, she's an incredible dancer, and dance is athleticism. Dance is powerful. It would be a shame to miss out on the opportunity to have that kind of beauty and power in the show."
Speaking of dancing, you can also expect to see a sexy little number from Rihanna in this year's show. The performance, which was choreographed by Parris Goebel, a dancer who Rihanna says embodies the brand in the most "bombastic" way. The entertainer shared that as a serial entrepreneur who just so happens to be one of the most prominent entertainers in the industry, it was hard to find the time to rehearse for the show's opening act, she laced up her lingerie wherever she could and made it happen. Rih explained:
"Look, I'm not nearly as good a dancer as Normani, but I will try. I will dance in these pieces in my kitchen until we get it right! Which is what I did, believe it or not. I only had two-and-a-half hours of rehearsal so I had to, like, get it where I could fit it in. Usually, it was while I was doing other approvals. People are like, 'Hey, pick this model! Pick this look!' And I'm like this—[She starts doing the opening moves from her dance number.] No, listen, it happens! I'll rehearse anywhere because I want it to be perfect. If you're passionate enough about something, you'll get it done."
Rih wouldn't be Rih without dropping some gems that awaken our inner sex goddess, and the queen didn't leave the interview without giving us a few tips on the art of sensuality. Rihanna also opened up about perfecting the nude selfie, because being the richest musician in the world doesn't make you exempt from sexting.
"You know your assets, right? What do you want to show off? Your jawline, your ass, your legs, your waist, your tits? We've all got things we love about our bodies, and so what's great is, we make things that highlight every type of body. So what are you, a tits girl, right? Find your assets, show them off, and you're good. Also, chances are, your man will tell you what he wants to see. Is he an ass man? Is he a tits man? He'll tell you. They always do."
Rih's collection is now officially available on Amazon and you can catch the fashion show on Amazon Prime Video Sept. 20!
Featured image by Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock.com
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Stress Awareness Month: Sneaky Workplace Triggers Affecting Black Women, And How To Cope
We all know about the major stress triggers of everyday life, from relationship woes to monthly bills to unexpected emergencies, but there are small, subtle triggers that impact Black women in a big way, especially when it comes to work. It’s good to be aware of these sneaky stressors in order to maximize your day and find ways to incorporate solutions into your self-care routines.
Since it’s Stress Awareness Month, we caught up with Keanne Owens, LCSW, founder of Journey To Harmony Therapy Center, to talk about these triggers and what Black women can do to manage and cope.
Owens is an experienced South Florida-based counselor and social worker who offers her services via Grow Therapy, a therapy and medication management platform. She has worked with Black women professionals to unpack issues related to workplace stressors. “One is the pressure to perform–having to meet deadlines and deliverables. And a lot of times, these subtle stressors from performance are put upon ourselves as Black women. We want to make sure we’re doing our best. We don’t want to be critiqued in certain ways.”
Excessive micromanagement leading to fear of overly critical bosses is another subtle trigger that can negatively impact Black women in the workplace.
“Whenever something is done wrong, or we experience some type of injustice and have to report it, it’s the fear of retaliation–[fear that] we won’t be taken seriously or [our words] will be taken out of context because of being deemed as the ‘angry Black woman,’” she said.
Black Women And Workplace Stress Triggers
Her sentiments are backed by research. A recent report by Coqual found that 28% of Black women (compared to 17% of White men) say their supervisor uses “excessive control or attention to detail” when managing them. There’s more: A survey by the National Employment Law Project found that Black workers were “more likely to have concerns (80 percent) and twice as likely as white workers (18 percent) to have unresolved concerns at work, with 39 percent reporting they were “not satisfied with the employer’s response or did not raise concerns for fear of retaliation.”
The survey also found that 14 percent of Black respondents said they “avoided raising concerns to their employer for fear of retaliation—more than twice the average rate of 6 percent for all survey respondents.”
Owens pointed to the fact that these subtle stress triggers can negatively impact our physical health and our career advancement. “A lot of time it’ll affect our productivity,” Owens added. “We start to have negative thoughts of ourselves. The stressors can also cause fatigue. We’re no longer meeting or working up to our desired potential.” Other challenges as a result include insomnia and increased insolation, withdrawal, and lack of motivation to apply for jobs or promotions even when qualified.
valentinrussanov/Getty Images
How To Manage Subtle Stress Triggers
While there are systemic issues at play for Black women at work that has less to do with us and more to do with major overhauls that must be addressed by the powers that be, there are steps we can take for the betterment of ourselves and our mental health. Owens offered the following tips:
Tap into a support system, whether it’s a coworker you trust, a family member, an organization, or an outlet like a hobby.
Create a good work-life balance before burnout even starts. “Having certain boundaries [is the goal] such as, for example, if you get off at 5, you get off at 5. If your job description is this, you don’t go above and beyond because that brings you to a lot of burnout,” Owens said.
Prioritize self-care, whatever that means for you. “If you don’t have a routine, create one. Practice mindfulness and even some meditation,” she added.
Create structure in your life outside of work. “Even if you have a family, applying some structure in your routine helps relieve stress,” she said.
Get into grounding techniques. “Do a real quick square breathing exercise, that’s literally 30 seconds, or you can do a grounding technique that’s less than two minutes, right there where you are. You don’t need any other materials. That’s something you can do with just yourself and your body.”
Ask for help. “As Black women, we don’t ask for help enough,” she said. “Find where you need to ask for help. A lot of times, people think that’s indicative of weakness, but we need to rewrite that narrative. It’s okay to ask for help where you see fit. [If] you’re a mom, [it could be] every Wednesday from 5 to 6, your children are with the dad. You have to carve out that time.”
For more information on Grow Therapy, visit their website. You can also find out more about Keanne Owens, LCSW, via BeginYourJourneyToHarmony.com.
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Featured image by Charday Penn/Getty Images