She may have sold over 30 million albums and have seven Grammy awards under her belt but pop princess Rihanna is undeniably as famous for her sartorial choices as she is for her songs. While the star is renowned for constantly reinventing her look, in a recent interview the Barbadian beauty revealed a new source of style inspiration – the Middle East.
The singer boasts over 11 million followers on social media site Instagram but only follows 1,299. Her select group includes her close friends, of course, fellow chart-toppers, a smattering of magazine editors and her entourage. Although a recent addition to her list was a bevvy of Middle Eastern women, with the star admitting they provide her with wardrobe inspiration and “ideas.”
Her love of the Emirates and Arabic fashion was well documented when she arrived in Abu Dhabi last year to perform a sell-out concert as part of her Diamonds world tour. To our delight, the star appeared to cover up more than usual, reigning in her usually risqué fashion sense on stage, in favour of more modest ensembles as a sign of respect for the region. Taking some time visit the local sights and regional gems, she also posed for pictures outside the capital’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque wearing her own interpretation of a traditional Emirati outfit, complete with a respectful headscarf.
Opening up in a recent magazine interview about the importance of sites like social media in her life, the pop icon revealed: “Instagram is my way of communicating to the world. When I’m on tour, I keep fans in the loop. I don’t really think about it too much. Literally, I can be sitting in a car and be bored, so I do a selfie just because I’m bored.”
Lets hope that as the GCC continues to grow as a fashion hub – especially in it’s attempt to become one of the top shopping destinations in the world – more starlets start to take notes from the region’s talented trendsetters as well.
Images: Instagram
