I try not to cast aspersions on anyone unless they really, absolutely, truly deserve it. James Corden: He deserves it. The woman who cut in front of me at CVS the other day: She deserves it. Domestic abusers: They deserve it, and then some.
Casting aspersions on Rihanna, however, was not something I ever thought I’d have to do. Anti is one of the greatest albums of the decade. “Umbrella” reminded me to put an umbrella in every single bag and backpack I own. I own some Fenty blush, and everyone compliments me when I wear it.
Even after she dropped the pallid “Lift Me Up” as her comeback single at the end of October, I felt the need to defend her. The song is sweet! It’s definitely gonna be better in context, as the end credits song for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever! Her voice sounds great! But just one week later, with today’s release of her latest Savage x Fenty fashion show, I’ve given up. Rihanna has brought Johnny Depp, of all people, onto her brand’s vaunted runway—a decision that is impossible to justify.
Twenty minutes into Savage x Fenty Vol. 4, which is streaming on Amazon Prime, the show cuts to a dark part of the forest in which it’s set. A group of shirtless male dancers surround a shadowed tree, which is then lit to reveal Depp standing next to it. Wearing a loose-fitting robe shirt, and pants, Depp walks toward a camera tracking away from him, showing off this season’s new Fenty pajamas. As he approaches another tree, he stops and wraps his arms around it. The show then cuts away to a surreal, unrelated animated sequence, and moves on to the next scene.
That’s the last of Depp that we see in the 40-minute special. But for those painful 60 seconds, we have to contend with the frustrating truth that Rihanna has invited Depp here. Rihanna, a victim of some very public domestic abuse at the hands of Chris Brown, purposefully showcased Depp in one of the most high-profile fashion events of the year.
Depp sticks out like a sore thumb among the diverse, legitimately impressive roster of celeb-models in the special. Winston Duke, Simu Liu, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Taraji P. Henson all get meaningful airtime; Taylour Paige even gets to address the camera directly. “Bad bitch, activated,” she shouts at us. “I’m a motherfucking savage, stupid ass.” It’s a powerful, hilarious, impressive moment, as is Paige’s wont.
“Stupid ass,” however, also describes the choice to bring Depp here. Not one minute after Paige saunters off-screen, Depp’s sallow visage pokes out of the darkness (where it belongs). What kicked off as a celebration of the rare lingerie brand that avails itself to represent people of all colors, sizes, and identities has transformed into something political in a different way. Savage x Fenty is yet another high-profile institution to sanction Depp’s return, as if his public follies—and abuse accusations—mean nothing.
After the agonizing Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial earlier this year, in which domestic abuse survivors were forced to relive their trauma as an overly forgiving public rallied behind Depp, society has taken a turn for the worse. Heard and Depp accused each other of physical and emotional abuse during their marriage, examples and counterexamples of which were trotted out in full force over the course of weeks. The discourse around their arguments, photos, and experiences was inescapable, as discourse often is. But much of it centered Depp as the victim, not Heard, as the public often disregards women’s suffering in cases like these. It helps when the guy that the woman is accusing of traumatizing her was a bunch of people’s childhood hero.
Since the defamation trial ended with both parties found liable for damages—following, by the way, a British court case that found evidence of Depp physically abusing Heard, but that’s beside the point, apparently—Depp has been out and about, having a grand old time. He’s played guitar on tour with artist Jeff Beck. He’s worn fedoras in public and not been mocked for it. He was a disembodied head at MTV’s VMAs in September. And now, thanks to Rihanna, he is a model for the Savage x Fenty brand.
Rihanna is far from beyond reproach herself, of course—albeit not to Depp’s level. Not even close. Yet she has allowed him to taint her brand and, thus, her public image through this brief, utterly unnecessary collaboration. Was it worth it? Knowing how public life has allowed Depp back in with such open arms, it probably won’t hurt Rihanna’s bottom line. But for some of her staunchest defenders, this is the end of the line.
