Rihanna And Her Bump Are On The Cover of May’s VOGUE
Rihanna and her baby bump have been making the rounds ever since she revealed that she and A$AP Rocky are expecting their first child. We’ve seen RiRi’s bump in a series of gorgeous pregnancy reveal pictures on the streets of New York City, then on Instagram in a tasteful bump-profile mirror selfie, and finally on the red carpet of an industry event. It probably had people thinking, “What’s even left at this point? A VOGUE cover?” and they would have been correct. Because Rihanna just rihvealed that she and her baby stomach posed for a series of artistic high-fashion pictures for VOGUE’s May issue, like the one seen above, featuring Rihanna and in-utero child working a tomato red lace catsuit with matching gloves and heels. You know, just something she picked up last minute at her local maternity store, tucked between the beige nursing bras and compression socks.
According to the accompanying VOGUE profile piece, Rihanna was shot in Paris by (Tyra Banks voice) noted fashion photographer Annie Leibovitz, during Paris Fashion Week (so, likely some time in the first week of March). Rihanna got into her pregnancy cravings (donuts, a dozen tangerines with salt) and how pregnancy has changed her (it hasn’t, she’s still the same ol’ RiRi). But because it’s VOGUE, she talked about all the pregnancy fashion she’s been working. Although to call it “pregnancy fashion” feels wrong, because you’re not going to find any of Rihanna’s looks at A Pea in the Pod. There hasn’t been a single stretch-panel pant or empire-waist tunic to be seen, and that’s on purpose, darling. Rihanna isn’t a maternity wear person. Like when Rihanna showed up to a Dior show last month wearing a see-through lace dress and a bra and panty set. via VOGUE:
“To me that dress is actually the closest thing to maternity clothes that I’ve worn so far,” Rihanna insists. “And we hadn’t really done lady that whole time. So I was like, Let’s do lady!”
“When I found out I was pregnant, I thought to myself, There’s no way I’m going to go shopping in no maternity aisle. I’m sorry – it’s too much fun to get dressed up. I’m not going to let that part disappear because my body is changing.” When I bring up the subject of maternity jeans, she rolls her eyes: If it’s not something she would have worn before she was pregnant, then it’s not something she’s going to wear now.
“I’m hoping that we were able to redefine what’s considered ‘decent’ for pregnant women,” she tells me. “My body is doing incredible things right now, and I’m not going to be ashamed of that. This time should feel celebratory. Because why should you be hiding your pregnancy?”
Okay for sure, but speaking as a person who was once pregnant, let me tell you: I never thought I’d wear those hideous post-partum mesh underwear you get from the hospital, but let’s just say they were my number one fashion choice for at least three weeks afterwards. But speaking on the actual planning of being pregnant, Rihanna says her current situation wasn’t an intentional one, but one she was happy about nonetheless. via VOGUE:
“Planning? I wouldn’t say planning. But certainly not planning against it. I don’t know when I ovulate or any of that type of shit. We just had fun,” she says. “And then it was just there on the test. I didn’t waste any time. I called him inside and showed him. Then I was in the doctor’s office the next morning and our journey began.”
And what of her other baby? Aka the album that Rihanna’s fans have been waiting for since her last album Anti was released in 2016. Well, there’s no predictable 9 month timeline for an album, so everyone is just going to have to keep waiting for when Rihanna decides the time is right. via VOGUE:
Right now though, she’s not trying to be in competition with herself, or anyone else for that matter. “I’m looking at my next project completely differently from the way I had wanted to put it out before. I think this way suits me better, a lot better,” she says. “It’s authentic, it’ll be fun for me, and it takes a lot of the pressure off.”
She didn’t get into the details of the blueprints of her album process. But the fact that she said that it will be fun for her and that it will take a lot of the pressure off tells me that part of it involves high density foam ear plugs. Anything to drown out the sound of people screaming, “But…WHEN! WHEN IS THE ALBUM COMING OUT?!?”
But because most of us are here for the fashion, and not the chance to harass RiRi about that album, here are some shots of her working that third-trimester glow and perfectly-round midsection in fashions ranging from “IKEA duvet cover” to “two-pack curtains” to “couture by Mr. Bubbles” and some rubber belly gown realness.
Pic: Annie Leibovitz/VOGUE