NEW YORK -- Rihanna unleashed the wild beast in a lush tropical land that turned to arid desert with women of all shapes, sizes and colours writhing, cackling, frolicking and stalking like animals in lace, fishnet and satin that shined in jewel tones for her second season of Savage x Fenty.
Her exotic world of bralettes, undies and pyjamas was shown off in 50 looks amid a pond, hydroponics, movable botanical biodomes and a plant growing station constructed deep inside a cavernous building in the Brooklyn Navy Yard as New York Fashion Week came to a close Wednesday.
"My mission is to just have women all over the world feel comfortable and sexy and have fun with lingerie," the pop star, fashion maven and beauty mogul told The Associated Press backstage after the unique show that had her crowd cheering. "I think tonight was just one of those experiences that I wanted people to feel that energy. I wanted them to feel all the different body types, all the different women in different stages of their womanhood."
Rihanna's "beasts" came tattooed. They included two pregnant women showing off their swelled bellies with pride. Another was a nymph in neon green. The famous model sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid were there, the former in browns, Bella in a soft blue.
All moved slowly through choreography at times, some beneath a waterfall, amid a set alive with fauna, greenery wending up two dome structures that moved slowly around as Rihanna's women slinked in and out. At other times, women grouped together exploring their bodies as trios. One was very, very good at the splits.
"When you hear the word savage, it's pretty self-explanatory," Rihanna explained. "It's a confident word. It's a word that is fearless, and I feel like the women here tonight represented that word, savage, and I feel every woman has a savage inside of them, whether they found it or not. It's there."
The Savage x Fenty collection for fall-winter, fusing street style with bedroom ready for anything sexy, was available for purchase immediately after the show. It comes in a range of neons, animal prints, nudes and neutrals, and tones of emerald, ruby and amethyst. There were new silhouettes when compared with her first highly successful season, cut high on the leg.
Bralettes and underwear were done in mesh, fishnet and lace. Pajamas were oversized to be worn for day or night. Bodysuits ranged from knitted to barely there string options that revealed all, pasties in place. At least sometimes.
Rihanna also launched an .iamsavage collection of bralette, thong and bikinis bottoms that also sit high on the waist and feature her brand's signature in a rose gold logo. The collection has leggings, branded tanks and tees, hot shorts and bodysuits that ooze, "Bring it on."
For the holiday, Savage x Fenty will offer denim reworked into lingerie and sleepwear, including printed denim chiffon.
When Rihanna talks of embracing all sizes since launching Savage x Fenty in May, she's not messing around. Sizes range from 32A to 40DDD in bras and XS to 3X in undies and sleepwear. Prices range from $12.50 to $115.
This savage world is available at SavageX.com, HarveyNichols.com, Zalendo.com and a pop-up shop in New York, with the Mall of America to follow.
