Rihanna talks about the influence of the 1960s movement as Fenty launches

Rihanna has revealed that Kwame Braithwaite, the Brooklyn-born photographer who helped pioneer the “black is beautiful” movement in the 1950s and 1960s, was a major inspiration for her new luxury brand, Fenty.

Fenty officially launched today, May 29. Launched in partnership with LVMH, Fenty makes Rihanna the first black woman in history to run a major luxury fashion house.

Rihanna marked the occasion by sharing a photograph of Braithwaite’s on Instagram. The image, dated 1968, was taken at the Renaissance Casino Ballroom in Harlem on Garvey Day. A poster reading “Buy Black” can be seen in the background.

Braithwaite’s movement promoted an Afro-centric version of female beauty that included unstraightened hair and dark skin at a time when representation was poor.

It was the discovery of one image of a group known as the Grandassa Models, who designed their own clothes and regularly appeared in Braithwaite’s work in the ’60s, that struck a chord.

In a recent New York Times interview Rihanna said the plan for the Fenty luxury brand was to be “disruptive” and change the luxury fashion world with a focus on direct-to-consumer online sales. The collection, which includes sunglasses, shoes and other accessories, will be added to every few weeks.