L'HISTOIRE: Rihanna's Edgy Outfit and Studded Shades at NYFW in 2009

L'HISTOIRE explores fashion history moments you should know, from what actors wore on a red carpet to celebrities who made cameos on the runway. Some are unsung, and some are better known. Each is part of the fabric of today’s fashion world, be it barrier breakers or culture makers.

Rihanna's style has gone through many periods, and her 2000s looks, for example, are from what they are today. During that Y2K era, the Bad Gal was particularly into edgier looks, which matched the vibe of her 2009 studio album Rated R. It tracks that in the same year, the musician wore statement spikes during New York Fashion Week.

At the Giuseppe Zanotti World party during Fashion's Night Out in 2009, Rihanna stepped out wearing an all-black look that perfectly blended her edginess and glamour. She wore a hooded mini dress was Alexander Wang, shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti x Balmain, and studded sunglasses were by the eyewear brand, A-Morir, that are available to shop today and retail for $350—all according to Star Style, a celebrity fashion blog that chronicles the brands behind A-lister's outfits. Fashion's Night Out, a former NYFW pillar, lasted from 2009 to 2013. The bygone event served as a shopping spectacle where celebrities, designers, and magazine editors made New York City their true playground with Anna Wintour serving as the ringmaster for the concept.

The singer, who signed with Def Jam Records in 2005, has grown to be one of the biggest power players in the music industry for the past two decades. While her music is what she is most widely adored for, her eye for style is a close second. Her influence on popular culture doesn't end there. She blazed the trail for inclusive beauty and celebrity lines, with Fenty Beauty being one of today's most celebrated makeup brands. On top of that, her lingerie and sleepwear line Savage x Fenty is reportedly worth $1 billion.

Everything about Rihanna's edgy 2009 look is quintessentially of its time, but as more early trends from the period are returning to the runway (like the Tory Burch Claire flat or the McQueen Skull scarf), we are left wondering if this flavor of edgy is fashion will make a comeback. At least for now, rumors about Rihanna's return to music will suffice.