Fenty Makes A Major Move Into Women’s Sports
As women’s sports hit new highs in viewership and cultural relevance, brands are finally getting in the game. The latest and loudest? Fenty.
Rihanna’s multibillion-dollar beauty empire made a power move by partnering with the WNBA’s defending champs, the New York Liberty.
The deal marks Fenty’s first sports sponsorship and brings beauty front and center in the world of professional basketball.
And according to Sukiana Chancy, VP of Brand Strategy for Fenty Skin and Fenty Hair, it’s not about fitting athletes into a mold.
“There’s not one monolithic view of what a female athlete looks like and there’s not one monolithic view of what beauty and beautiful looks like,” Chancy told NBC News.
The WNBA Is Winning On All Fronts
The timing couldn’t be better.
The WNBA just wrapped its most-watched season in 24 years, with the 2024 Finals drawing 1.6 million viewers.
Liberty CEO Keia Clarke says this rise in visibility is pushing brands to align with the league’s value and voice.
Fenty joins a growing list of beauty brands backing the WNBA.
CoverGirl signed on with the Chicago Sky.
Sephora is investing in the Golden State Valkyries.
And Glossier has been riding with the league since 2020.
But Fenty’s entry is all about culture, community, and self-expression.
Beauty And Basketball Can Coexist
New York Liberty forward Isabelle Harrison says this partnership lets her represent all of who she is.
“I’m not just a basketball player. I’m a beauty girl, I’m a health girl, I’m a girl’s girl,” she said.
Fenty and the Liberty are already getting creative with their collab.
One fan favorite is the “Gloss Bomb Cam” at Liberty games, where fans show off their glossed-up lips on the jumbotron.
It’s a fun, interactive moment that fans love—and it proves beauty belongs in sports arenas too.
From Game Day To Glam Day
On game day, Fenty shows up everywhere.
The players’ warmups feature the Fenty logo, exclusive lip glosses are sold at Barclays Center, and even Ellie the Elephant, the team mascot, has her own Fenty-filled “What’s in Her Bag?” video.
Harrison says people now reach out to her about her skincare routine more than her game.
And that’s the whole point—these kinds of partnerships expand the audience and deepen fan engagement.
“Partnerships like this with Fenty show that you can invest in us and get a return,” she said. “We’ve proven that every year.”
A Cultural Win For Beauty And Sports
This collab is more than cute packaging and tunnel walk glam.
It’s a cultural shift.
One where beauty and athleticism exist side by side, and where women athletes are seen, celebrated, and styled.
Fenty understood the assignment and the WNBA is shining brighter because of it.
Never miss a scoop — sign up for IceCreamConvos.com’s free daily newsletter and stay in the know with the hottest celebrity news, jaw-dropping headlines, and stories everyone will be talking about.
Lock In With Ice Cream Convos:
