London Fashion Week: Rihanna reveals her debut River Island collection

The Telegraph had been told on good authority that the singer's debut collection for River Island would garner "surprise", but in fact this offering carried the Bajan's style DNA through and through, which will delight fans wishing to emulate the looks she's been photographed wearing before when it launches on March 5.

Starting a whopping 50 mins late inside the cavernous Old Sorting Office on New Oxford Street, a multi-level, podium-likeinstallation set back some 20 metres from the crowd hinted that this wasn't going to be any ordinary show - and that perhaps the global pop phenomenon might even treat guests (and the several hundred thousand watching via live stream on Facebook) to a live performance.

Fierce-looking models navigated the steps in what can only be described as some of Rihanna's recent greatest hits - with a generous dose of the Nineties. The simple, Calvin Klein-esque spaghetti strap dresses she recently sported on the red carpet were there, as were the thigh-split lycra maxi skirts the 24-year-old singer loves to team with high-necked cropped tops.

A revealing, black polyester dungaree-style dress, silky hooded jumpsuit and a red Baywatch-style swimsuit ensured there was no room to mistake who was behind this collaboration.
Rihanna's beloved Manolo Blahnik 'Chaos' sandals were the direct inspiration for the shoes, but by way of River Island, RiRi's adoring female devotees will be able to pick up 10 pairs for the same price as one of the real deal.

A bit like model Kate Moss's first collection for Topshop, so 'autobiographical' was this collection that a model in a bikini was accessorised with a gold body chain (another frim RiRi style essential) and one of the singer's edgier tunes provided the sountrack at one point.

However what followed sadly wasn't a serenade by one of the most successful solo women artists of all time, but a rather coy bow in the company of Adam Selman, her costume designer, ever to be seen again.

And her model friends Jourdan Dunn and Cara Delevingne were there to support.