Iconic Rihanna Looks as Books by Black Women

Nothing feels better than combining your passions, and today the product of this is potentially the most niche book rec list ever produced: Rihanna looks as books by Black women. 

Originally, this was just titled ‘Rihanna Looks as Books’. But Rih’s coral pink tutu dress was undeniably reminiscent of Akwaeke Emezi’s You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty and her neon green fur jacket just screamed My Sister, the Serial Killer—so I quickly realised that the theme had all but been decided for me. Speaking of My Sister, the Serial Killer, is it just me or is it essentially the novel version of Rihanna’s iconic Bitch Better Have My Money music video.

Has our Bad Girl Ri Ri been influencing the publishing industry all along…or vice versa? I expect Rihanna to step out in a Girl, Woman, Other inspired look any day now to confirm my suspicions.

Rihanna in Adam Selman at the 2014 CFDA Fashion Awards / The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Rihanna in Guo Pei at the 2015 Met Gala / The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

Rihanna in Giambattista Valli at the 2015 Grammy’s / You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

Rihanna in Adam Selman and Versace for the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards / My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Rihanna wearing heart-shaped Saint Laurent coat in 2016 / All About Love by bell hooks

Rihanna in Tom Ford at the 2017 Vogue ‘Forces of Fashion’ Summit / Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Rihanna in Fenty at the 2019 British Fashion Awards / Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

Rihanna in a vintage Chanel coat for her 2022 pregnancy announcement / Loud Black Girls edited by Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené