Rihanna: Margaret Zhang’s Swan Song

Former Vogue China [IG] EIC Margaret Zhang delivered Rihanna on her final April 2024 cover story for the magazine. The star had covered Harper’s Bazaar China but never Vogue.

Rihanna takes two print covers and three digital ones in her story ‘Rihanna: Beauty In Individuality’, styled by Alvin Yu in images by Hailun Ma [IG].

Cultural and Financial Tensions in China’s Luxury Sector

The world’s top luxury brands are invested in shoring up and giving major credibility to China’s fashion and beauty industry. After years of stellar growth, there’s general worry across markets around a slowdown in China, an economic event happening as we speak.

Western media is not inclined to report on or explore exactly where western luxury brands stand in China, beyond the economics of money to spend.

The Chinese government is deeply involved in monitoring and controlling the tensions between China’s desire to be part of the global luxury market, while also protecting China’s identity and values.

Former Vogue China EIC Zhang found herself caught in this very web of cultural controversy, coupled with her alleged inability to run the magazine as a financially-successful enterprise.

Fenty Beauty in China

Returning to Rihanna and Fenty Beauty, the beauty brand entered the Chinese beauty market on April 1 and is now sold at Sephora stores in China.

One of Rihanna’s core investment partners in Fenty Beauty and also Savage x Fenty lingerie is private-equity firm L Catterton, founded in 2016 with Group Arnault to create "a leading global consumer-focused investment firm."

Sephora is owned by LVMH.