UPDATE
Rihanna's Instagram might have shut down, but her Twitter is still up and running. Phew! Rihanna revealed her inspiration behind that naked CFDAs outfit, posting two hilarious memes. First up we have a comparison picture with the late Josephine Baker, looking glamorous in a fur stole and beaded top. Then she posted a picture of Family Guy's Peter Griffin rocking the same look. Hilare!
3 June 2014
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We imagine there was only one question on people's lips at the CFDA Awards last night: "Holy crystal, have you* seen* Rihanna?" The Good Girl Gone bad was never going to wear an LBD to pick up her Icon of the Year Award. She wore a sheer Adam Selman column dress with a slinky racer back covered in 230,000 Swarvoski crystals.
If anyone could bring the #FreeTheNipple campaign to the red carpet it's Rihanna. Every inch of Rih was visible through the Swarvoski crystals as she wore nothing but a nude thong underneath. She paired the dress with a matching Swarvoski headscarf, a dusty pink Pologeorgis fur stole, Monolo Blahnik stilettos, jewellery by Paul Morelli and a pink ring on her pinky by Jacob.
Last week Scout Willis started a 'Free The Nipple' campaign against Instagram’s anti-nipple policy, walking topless around New York. We reckon Rihanna's dress is a stylish finger up to her Instagram ban - @Badgalriri was shut when she posted a picture of her breasts. What happens when Rihanna can't put her nipples on Instagram? She walks the red carpet with them out for all to see.
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Rihanna's stylist Mel Ottenberg said to Style.com that he wasn't sure if it was controversial as he is now so used to seeing Rihanna's nips. “It’s so naked," he said. "I don’t know if it’s shocking—I’m with her all the time, so my shock gauge is off, but I told her that I thought she was ready for this dress a while ago, and that I wasn’t. I’m the prude, and I’m just catching up.”
“We definitely wanted to make it a little bit scandalous,” designer Adam Selman revealed to Style.com. “The dress is just fishnet and crystals and a couple of fingers crossed. But fashion is about beauty, and the [female] body is part of that.” Ottenberg added: “I did this look for her so she’d have a good time. This was the perfect night do to something fun, and I wanted her to have something great that you couldn’t find anywhere else in the world.”
Adam Selman with Rihanna [Instagram]
So how did they come up with the idea for the fishnet number? It was born last month while Selman and Ottenberg were styling Rihanna for the MTV Movie Awards. Selman said to Style.com: “We started talking about it, and I sketched it shortly after. In fact, the matching do-rag was all Rih’s idea. It brings such a Rihanna feel to the whole thing. It seals the deal.”
If you wondered how long it takes to sew 230,000 crystals on a gown, Ottenberg said: “So many people didn’t sleep last night. I would say at least eight people worked nonstop from 8 p.m. last night to 3 p.m. today putting on the finishing touches.”
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So what does Team Grazia really think of the look? Our fashion editor Hannah Almassi said:
##### *"You don’t pick up a gong for being a Fashion Icon every day of the year, so it’s no wonder Rihanna went all out to create the kind of look that will remain in the history books for all time. It’s raunchy – something that she does so effortlessly, yes – but also quite genius. Like a mash-up of every iconic sex-bomb before her: it has hints of Josephine Baker, of Marilyn Monroe, of Cher… I’m thrilled that she didn’t – and usually doesn’t – opt for a safe option. And can you imagine Anna Wintour’s face? Forget the cost of the thousands of glittering Swarovski crystals, that moment sounds priceless."*
There's no word on what was going through Anna Wintour's head when she was faced with a nude Rihanna at the podium. However she did say the following when presenting her with the Icon of the Year Award. "The point is to be audacious... while being true to yourself." Well you can't get much more audacious than 230,000 crystals and a thong, can you?
Rihanna Style - Best Dresses & Outfits
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Rihanna wearing Balmain in Los Angeles - 19 June 2014
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Rihanna in New York, August 2014
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Rihanna in helmut Lang, New York - 18 August 2014
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Rihanna in Alexander Haider Ackermann and Balenciaga, New York - 20 August 2014
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Rihanna at a game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers on May 15, 2014
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Melissa Forde and Rihanna attend an NBA playoff game between Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers on May 9, 2014
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Rihanna attends the Christian Dior Cruise 2015 Show on May 7, 2014 in New York City
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Rihanna attends the 2014 'Met Ball' on May 5th
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Rihanna is seen at the after-party for The Costume Institute Benefit Gala on May 5, 2014 in New York
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Rihanna in the audience at the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Awards on May 1, 2014 in LA
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Rihanna attends Roc Nation Sports 1 Year Anniversary Luncheon at TAO Downtown on April 28, 2014 in New York
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Rihanna at the Toronto Raptors vs Brooklyn Nets playoff game on April 25, 2014 in New York
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Rihanna at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards LA Live on April 13, 2014
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Rihanna at Oklahoma City Thunder vs the Los Angeles Clippers on April 9, 2014 in LA
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Rihanna attends the Miu Miu show on March 5, 2014 in Paris, France wearing a Prada coat
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Rihanna attends the Chanel show on March 4, 2014 in Paris, France dressed in Chanel
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Rihanna attends the Stella McCartney show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2014-2015 on March 3, 2014 in Paris, France
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Rihanna attends the Roc Nation pre-Grammy brunch on January 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California
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Rihanna poses in the press room at the 2013 American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 24, 2013 in Los Angeles, California
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Rihanna in Alexander Wang out and about in London - 11 September 2013
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Rihanna at Opening Ceremony at New York Fashion Week - September 2013
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Rihanna at Alexander Wang after party at New York Fashion Week - September 2013
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Rihanna in Balmain at 2013 MTV Video Music Awards after party - 25 August 2013
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Rihanna at 'Lyon' restaurant, West Village, New York - 12 August 2013
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Rihanna out and about in London - 20 July 2013
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Rihanna in London - 18 July 2013
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Rihanna in Rag & Bone out and about in Manchester - 16 July 2013
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Rihanna in visor by Fleet Ilya out and about in London - 15 July 2013
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Rihanna in Gareth Pugh out and about in London - 14 July 2013
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Rihanna in Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci menswear and Versace shoes in Monaco - 13 July 2013
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Rihanna in KTZ in Denmark - 6 July 2013
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Rihanna in Tom Ford AW13 boots arriving in Poland - 6 July 2013
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Rihanna at Chanel show, Haute Couture Fall Winter 2013, Paris Fashion Week - 2 July 2013
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Rihanna out and about, London, Britain - 20 June 2013
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Oiut and about in New York - 17 July 2015 [Rex]
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Wearing Marni dress and Chanel loafers out and about in New York - 13 July 2015 [Rex]
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At the Dior Autumn/ Winter photocall in Tokyo - 16 June 2015 [Rex]
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Out and about in New York - 1 June 2015 [Rex]
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At the Met Gala wearing Guo Pei - 4 May 2015 [Rex]
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At the Jimmy Kimmel Live show wearing Moschino - 1 April 2015 [Rex]
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At the Home premiere wearing Dior - 22 March 2015 [Rex]
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At the Good Morning America show wearing Pascal Millet - 13 March 2015 [Rex]
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At the Fendi fashion store opening in New York - 13 February 2015 [Rex]
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At the Grammy Awards wearing Giambattista Valli - 8 February 2015 [Rex]
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Out and about in New York - 23 December 2014 [Rex]
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At the Diamond Ball wearing Zac Posen - 11 December 2014 [Rex]
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At the British Fashion Awards wearing Stella McCartney - 1 December 2014 [Rex]
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At the It's Not Over premiere wearing Altuzarra - 18 November 2014 [Rex]
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At the amfAR Inspiration Gala wearing Tom Ford - 29 October 2014 [Rex]
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At the Edun show at New York Fashion Week - 7 September 2014 [Rex]
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Out and about in New York wearing Alexander Wang for H&M - 7 September 2014 [Rex]
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Out and about in New York wearing Adam Selman - 5 September 2014 [Rex]