Rihanna Hosts 5th Annual Diamond Ball

Thursday night, Rihanna hosted her 5th Annual Diamond Ball for the Clara Lionel Foundation. The songstress and mogul established the nonprofit in 2012 to help impoverished communities across the globe. The event comes just two days after Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty New York Fashion Week showing and all of the stars came out to benefit such an important cause. 

Seth Meyers hosted this year’s Diamond Ball further establishing his friendship with the star. Back in June, Rihanna made an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers where the two drank heavily. Entertainment for the night included live performances by DJ Khalid and Pharrell Williams. Rihanna also decided to honor both Shaun King, a known American civil rights activist, and Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados. 

Rihanna was dressed in black velvet gown that billowed out at the bottom. Designed by Givenchy, the look kept a simplistic elegance while also adding a that starlet flair with the contrasting white bottom. The star paired it with white strappy heels and her classic, natural makeup with bright red lips and nails. 

Upon her red carpet entrance, Rihanna spoke with Essence about her pride in being a powerful Black woman. She gave the most powerful and inspiring quote professing, “my mother has raised me to be an incredible woman and she’s a strong, incredible example of what to be and how to fight obstacles in like and I’m sure her mom has also taught her. And that’s how I’m gonna be. We’re impeccable. We are impeccable. We’re special and the world is just gonna have to deal with that.”