Savage Fenty: Rihanna's Lingerie, From Lace Bras to Teddies

On September 12, 2018, the first Savage X Fenty show took place at New York Fashion Week, and Harper's Bazaar called it a celebration of racial diversity and body inclusivity. Rihanna, who founded the brand, is the executive producer and creative director of the show. A lingerie runway built around real range, not one body type. I love that.

When people search for Savage Fenty, they are really asking about a point of view. Rihanna has said she created the brand with the goal of diversity in size and color, and at launch in 2018 the bras ran from 30A to 46DDD and the underwear from XS to 4X. Savage X Fenty has always felt to me like lingerie meant to be worn by the person inside it first. Comfortable, a little playful, and never apologetic about it.

First up, the bras. The Boho Glow Lace demi in pink floral has eyelash lace with metallic yarn and a front keyhole, so I would wear it under a loose white shirt left half open. The Everyday Smooth Wireless Push-Up in black is the all-day one, with no wires and a plunging V. The Croc Embroidery demi has sheer embroidered cups and a mesh back, and the Romantic Corded Lace balconette in pink has halter-style straps and scalloped edges.

For a quiet day, reach for the Cotton Essentials Lace-Trim bralette, a pull-over in black with scalloped trim. The Satin Secrets plunge in purple adds a satin cradle for a little contrast. My tip: try the band first, because it does most of the work, and then check the straps and the cup edge under a fitted tee.

Panties are where the fabric does the talking, so I check three things: the rise, the coverage and the gusset. Every pair here has a cotton gusset, which matters more than any lace pattern. Read the rise line on each page before you fall for a color.

The Satin Secrets Brazilian in blue and purple is low-rise with minimal coverage, and the On The Dot mesh thong has a ruffled waistband that shows prettily over low jeans. The Aftershow embroidered string bikini in black is mid-rise with delicate lace details. The Romantic Corded Lace hipster in red is mid-rise and textured, my pick for a first lace pair.

Cheekier shapes need a different test: sit down, bend over, and see where the edge lands. The Sheer Thing cheeky in navy has blue lace trim, and the Paisley Smoke high-leg extra cheeky in coral is a low-rise cut with stretchy paisley lace. The Piccadilly high-rise cheeky in black floral gives moderate coverage, and the Soft N' Savage in white has scalloped edges. I would match each color to the bra I already own.

What I would skip: very sheer white lace under thin white trousers. Wear it under a dark skirt instead.

Sets and one-pieces only work if the pieces really belong together, and these do. Try the whole thing on, then try the bra with your own jeans and the panty with your favorite slip. If either half works alone, it is a good buy.

The Romantic Corded Lace two-piece in red pairs a balconette with a Brazilian panty, and I would wear it under a plain black blazer. The On the Dot corset set in Black Caviar is strapless with ruffle trim and a matching thong. The Satin Secrets three-piece garter set adds a garter belt to a plunge bra and panty. The Pointelle Provocateur boyshort set in Nu Pink is the softest, with a bustier cami and a boyshort.

Then the teddies. The Romantic Corded Lace underwire teddy has a back keyhole cutout and a Brazilian cut, and the Petal Play teddy in burgundy has criss-cross straps and a low back. For lounging, the Satin Secrets short robe has scalloped lace trim and a self-tie belt, and the matching sleep mini slip is a body-skimming stretch satin in the same print. Check that the robe tie sits where you like it.

Begin with the bra that fits your band, and buy the one you would wear tomorrow. Then add one lace panty in a color you will actually wear, picked by rise and coverage, with that cotton gusset in mind. Add a set only when the first two pieces feel like you, and a robe when you want something to pull on over them.

Fit is the real story here. The brand put it into the sizing from day one, and the shows made a stage of it. Rihanna's runway got there in 2018, and plenty of closets are catching up. Wear the good set on an ordinary Tuesday, just because. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Lingerie Worth Layering.