Though Rihanna endorsed the rugby shirt renaissance two years ago, fashion girls are finally catching up to speed. Need proof? This summer, the striped pull-over jumper dominated Copenhagen Fashion Week, earned a spot in Kaia Gerber's closet, and most recently, re-rejoined RiRi's rotation.
Fall forecasts are fast approaching, and with it, the 1960s-era long-sleeve's second (or third) coming. On September 2, Rihanna gave it another go with a gray Miu Miu version. Like most of her tops lately, it revealed her growing baby bump ever-so-slightly. The $1,470 piece featured a front button closure and horizontal pinstripes, as any classic rugby shirt should.
Most celebrity takes on the trend read preppy and even academic. (See Gerber's blue-and-red version, which belongs in a Cambridge, Massachusetts, college dorm). The Grammy winner's low-slung jeans made it feel well-loved and nostalgic—like she scored it at an off-campus vintage store in the '90s. In reality, it's the latest addition to her Miu Miu-heavy shirt stack, following a short-sleeve button-down and a tube top, both striped.
Rihanna's light-wash denim, on the other hand, could've been a secondhand find. They were equal parts baggy and distressed, breaking up her seven-month hole-less jeans streak. Chanel's cap-toe heels barely peeked out from underneath her bottoms. Later, the "Lift Me Up" singer swapped them for her tried-and-true Puma Speedcats in the pink colorway.
Rihanna's archival bag collection could start an entire secondhand store. This time, she went with a one-year-old Louis Vuitton Speedy Soft 30, courtesy of the exclusive 57th Street NYC collection. It launched in Nov. 2024, when the Midtown flagship opened its doors. The monogrammed Speedy can be carried via top-handle or shoulder straps; Rihanna chose the latter option, which showcased the silver hardware and decorative bag tags. Shockingly, the add-ons are included in the $3,500 price tag.
Every aspect of Rihanna's look was right up her streetwear alley. In March 2023, she pulled off a similar set: a striped Loewe rugby shirt with a Louis Vuitton handbag. Instead of a Speedy, she carried a monogrammed box bag as a clutch. All this to say? Whenever a new trend surfaces, chances are, Rihanna boarded that bandwagon months, if not years, prior.
