Is there a job title Rihanna doesn’t have? The musician, designer, makeup mogul, investor, and mom of three smolders in her latest role: the face of J’Adore Dior Intense, a fragrance created just for her. For our September cover, photographed by Inez & Vinoodh and styled by Jahleel Weaver, we captured the star in an overnight shoot with a before-and-after theme—from raw and undone to heightened glamour. “You can practically smell Rihanna through the page,” writes author Roxanne Gay, “especially in the images where her hair hangs in loose curls past her shoulders and she stares at the camera, inviting the viewer closer, but not too close.” See the photos and read Gay’s reflection on RiRi’s special allure below.
—Nina Garcia, editor-in-chief
