For decades the world of entertainment and fashion have been closely related. We’ve praised and worshipped our favorite stars, taking cues on style and personal philosophies.

Well, that might sound a bit exaggerated, but in a way we do. Especially when it comes to fashion, we see them as the models of new trends. And when said celebrity is at their peak, everything they wear becomes a statement for the world to follow.

There are articles, tutorials, pins, or basically any type of content on the Internet teaching us how to follow X celebrity’s wardrobe.

It’s easy to believe that these icons are responsible for everything they wear without really thinking that, in most cases, there’s an army of specialists choosing and inventing audacious and bold looks.

But what happens when the process happens the other way around? In other words, what if the celebrity is the one looking for a determined stylist on the Internet and copies their looks? That’s actually how the fashion relationship between Rihanna and Farren Fucci began. The latter, who had always been inspired by fashion, started creating looks on Instagram as a hobby, without knowing that his style was so special it would become his main profession. Among one of his followers was the Barbadian musician, who soon started looking at his posts for inspiration. After a while, she sent him a DM and, well, the collaboration was born.

Now, if you think about it, Rihanna has been known for being bold when it comes to dressing. Her looks have been both praised and criticized. But what really makes her style so unique and special is the attitude with which she wears them. In that sense, the collaboration couldn’t be more perfect. Fucci has coined the term “hoesthetics” to describe his vision and style. In his own words, his creations are “sexy, confident, and a little bit c***y,” and that’s exactly what caught the attention of RiRi.

Yes, I know, the name can be a bit problematic, but the context is focused on something that I could really relate to. In a way, the message he really wants to convey with his term and his fashion style is that women should feel empowered all the time, and if clothes can help reinforce that emotion, the better. In this world where looks are basically everything (well, not exactly but one of the main attributes people see in you at the first moment) clothes can become that tool to explore each person’s real self, and thus, become powerful and confident.

All this philosophy could be seen as the product of that collaboration, since as Fucci himself has stated, Rihanna is always encouraging him to be more truthful to himself. The singer has always been known for telling it like it is and doing what she wants without caring what others may think. This translates into her own personal style. She might have worn pieces that aren’t precisely fashionable or that apparently don’t go together, but at the end of the day, she wears them happy and proud. In my opinion, her unapologetic attitude is what makes her even more appealing.

This might sound as a cliché, but confidence might be one of her greatest secrets. Just as she can pull off a gigantic yellow dress and become the center of attention, no one could ever claim that she doesn’t have panache. In the same way, you can see her wearing a tracksuit and heels, basically rocking the athleisure look before it was mainstream.

Finally, if we could say there’s a huge lesson to learn from Rihanna in terms of fashion, I’d say it would be her versatility. It’s easy and comfortable to get a particular style that looks good on us and turn it into a sort of uniform. But in Rihanna’s case, she’s proven that she’s not afraid of experimenting. Moreover, she’s always seen wearing something different and unique, and that’s what has made her such an icon, both in music and fashion. Her looks have been so memorable that she even created a collection of socks portraying her most audacious and notable looks.