Los Angeles, California - Rihanna is Elle's September 2026 cover star, posing in a chic Dior look to celebrate her status as the brand's latest fragrance muse.
Photographed by Inez and Vinoodh and styled by Jahleel Weaver, Rihanna appears on the new cover wearing an oversized Dior headpiece and matching ring.
Her hair is down and wavy with soft, natural glam makeup as she leans against a wooden crate.
The shoot ties into Rihanna's new role as the face of Dior's J'Adore Intense fragrance, which the brand says was designed as a tribute to her, built around the idea of a free-spirited woman who embraces life with confidence.
It's another milestone in her decade-plus relationship with the fashion house.
The 38-year-old became Dior's first Black ambassador back in 2015.
In the accompanying cover story, writer Roxane Gay reflects on how Rihanna carries herself with total self-assurance, living life on her own terms rather than bending to outside expectations.
Additional shots from the spread show the beauty mogul in a range of looks, including a pale blue outfit with a feathered collar, a black gown paired with mesh socks, and a fuzzy red wrap.
She shared several photos from the shoot on her own social accounts on Tuesday.
The cover drops just a day after a personal full-circle moment for Rihanna.
She brought her three kids with A$AP Rocky back to her childhood street in Barbados, now renamed "Rihanna Drive" in her honor, following their Spider-Man-themed birthday bash for son Riot Rose.