Honestly, the "Fenty Effect" is more than just a marketing buzzword. It’s a literal blueprint for how the modern beauty industry works. But when you’re standing in the aisle at Sephora staring at a wall of 50 different foundation shades, you aren't really thinking about corporate spreadsheets. You’re thinking about your skin.
Still, the question of who owns Fenty Beauty is a lot more interesting than just a name on a bottle. It's a high-stakes tug-of-war between a pop icon and the world's most powerful luxury empire.
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Most people assume Rihanna just "started a company." That’s only half the truth. In reality, Fenty Beauty is a 50/50 split between Robyn Rihanna Fenty and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
The Power Dynamic: Rihanna vs. LVMH
It isn't a "celebrity endorsement." Not even close. When Rihanna signed her deal back in 2016, she didn't just lend her face to a brand for a paycheck. She entered into a massive joint venture with Kendo Brands, which is the "beauty incubator" owned by LVMH.
Basically, they are equal partners.
LVMH brings the "muscle"—the manufacturing labs, the distribution via Sephora (which they also own), and a global supply chain that can put a lipstick in 17 different countries overnight. Rihanna brings the "soul"—the creative vision, the marketing genius, and the relentless focus on inclusivity that forced every other brand to wake up.
The Breakdown of Control
- Rihanna (50%): Owns her stake through Roraj Trade LLC. She serves as the CEO and Creative Director. If she doesn't like a shade of red, it doesn't get made.
- LVMH (50%): Operates the brand through Kendo. They handle the "boring" stuff that keeps a billion-dollar company alive—logistics, legal, and operational scaling.
Why 2026 is a Massive Year for the Brand
There’s been some major noise lately in the business world. Late in 2025, reports started surfacing that LVMH was working with the investment bank Evercore to explore selling its 50% stake.
Why would they sell?
The luxury market is cooling off. Bernard Arnault, the chairman of LVMH, is notoriously ruthless about "cleaning up" his portfolio. While Fenty is a powerhouse—generating roughly $450 million in net sales in 2024—the conglomerate might be looking to focus more on their "legacy" pillars like Dior and Guerlain.
The Valuation Game
Right now, experts value Fenty Beauty at somewhere between $1 billion and $2 billion. That’s a huge range. It depends on whether you view it as a "celebrity product" (which has a shelf life) or a "platform brand" (which lasts forever).
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Misconceptions You've Probably Heard
You'll hear people say Fenty is "just another Sephora brand." That’s wrong. While Sephora is the primary home for the products, the brand has been aggressively moving into Amazon and Space NK to reach customers who don't shop at the big black-and-white stripes.
Another big one? That Rihanna sold it.
She hasn't. While she did step down as CEO of her lingerie line, Savage X Fenty, she remains the face and the primary decision-maker for the beauty side. It’s her "baby." She spent two years developing that first foundation line before anyone ever saw a teaser on Instagram.
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What This Means for Your Makeup Bag
When a brand is owned by a massive conglomerate like LVMH, it usually means the quality is consistent because they have the best chemists in the world. However, if LVMH actually goes through with a sale in 2026, things could get weird.
If a private equity firm buys that 50% stake, they might push for higher profit margins. That usually leads to "reformulations"—which is just corporate speak for "making the product cheaper to produce."
Rihanna's 50% stake is the shield against that. Since she owns the Fenty trademark personally, she has a lot of leverage. If she doesn't like the direction a new partner takes, the brand loses its most valuable asset: her.
Actionable Insights for the Fenty Obsessed
- Stock up on favorites: If you hear news that a sale has been finalized, keep an eye on your "holy grail" products. A change in ownership often leads to formula tweaks within 12-18 months.
- Watch the expansion: Fenty Hair and Fenty Skin are the new frontiers. The ownership structure there mimics the beauty side, meaning more "Kendo-backed" quality but also more corporate pressure to scale fast.
- Check the label: Always look for the "Made in" stamp. Currently, most Fenty products benefit from LVMH's high-end French and Italian labs. If that changes, the "luxury" feel of the makeup might shift too.
The business side of beauty is messy. But for now, the queen of Barbados still holds the keys to the kingdom.
To stay ahead of any formula changes or brand shifts, you should regularly check the ingredient lists on the official website versus the packaging of your older products. If you see the ownership of the LVMH stake change in the news, that is your signal to watch for "New & Improved" labels, which are often a red flag for cost-cutting measures.