Harvard Humanitarian Award winner and music superstar Rihanna first dipped into design with River Island in 2013, and clearly caught the bug. In 2014, she was named Women’s Creative Director of Puma, the same year she received CFDA’s Fashion Icon Award in a sparkling Adam Selman dress that sparked the trend for transparency. In 2015, she became the first Black woman to be the face of Dior. Her Fenty Beauty line was an immediate hit, and this year, she added  Savage x Fenty lounge and intimate apparel. It’s fair to call Rihanna the most powerful pop icon of our time, and she perfects the art of cross-pollination to dominate the world of music, fashion, and beauty. Reports of an upcoming fashion deal with LVMH has us on the edge of our seats!

Editor’s Note: In honor of Black History Month, we highlight some of the most influential forces in fashion, in no specific order. Their impact on the culture is undeniable – and we use this time to tip our hats off to their Black excellence.