Rihanna Controversy

With cancel culture tearing apart brands and celebrity actions, not many seem to be safe from the prying eyes of the public. Harmful chemicals and inhuman working rights label a brand as a flop, but there seem to be plenty of other reasons for throwing a business into the wind. Scams of any kind in the fashion industry grow more prominent as online shoppers continue to be catfished by product design and sizing. Savage X Fenty has fallen under fire after users brought forth allegations of customers being signed up for paid memberships without their knowledge, only to see the charges on their accounts months later. With a fifty-dollar subscription added to any buyer’s cart labeled as “Savage X’ with no price tag, this deceiving method has cost customers hundreds. Emma Tully, a spokesperson for Savage X fenty spoke to CNN about the claims, stating, “ We believe strongly in transparency, which is why we provide multiple disclosures of membership terms throughout the shopping experience, within advertisements, and through our ambassador engagement policies.” While Tully brings up the membership terms, she fails to mention that all membership price discussion is put into fine print of the terms and agreements, something little to none read about. Using the ignorance of the people allows Savage X Fenty to rake in money without proper advertisement to what someone is buying. The website full of pop up sales and flashy photos distract from the high membership fee agreed upon purchase. Eylla Bailey Bektic, a sophomore at Waukee, spoke on hearing about Savage X Fenty’s recent controversy, saying,” I am very disappointed in Rihanna’s efforts to misconstrued her fans and customers who contribute to her brand “Fenty”. As a supporter of her and one who looks up to her, I was sad to be regretful when I ordered from the brand and they immediately signed me up for the VIP pass and it was $50 a month.
For a celebrity preaching inclusivity and transparency, having a fine print membership seems to preach the opposite. Feeling the heat, Rihanna continues to stay silent, her company sending out a statement rather than the CEO clearing up the worries of the faithful customers. Whether shopping online or in-person, a standard of transparency should always be met so a customer doesn’t have to worry about an unknown charge on their account.