Coincidence? Rihanna and A$AP Rocky accidentally mirror famous image of Meghan and Harry in the rain

Telegraph

20-05-2025

The turquoise dress, the umbrella, the loved-up power couple captured amid the moody drama of the rain... I'm not talking about that famous image of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, taken by photographer Chris Jackson in March 2020 at one of the couple's last engagements as working royals before their move to the US.
No, this is another world-famous couple: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky hitting the red carpet at the Highest 2 Lowest premiere at Cannes on Monday night.
Rihanna, currently pregnant with their third child, wore a custom Alaïa bow gown in silk georgette, while her rapper partner, who stars in the Spike Lee-directed film, was clad in Saint Laurent. It's a coup for both brands – they are currently the duo every label wants to dress. That status was cemented recently by Anna Wintour, who appointed Rocky one of the co-hosts of the recent Met Gala, and declared them fashion's most influential couple – praise doesn't come much higher than that.
So it's highly unlikely that Rihanna and Rocky would feel the need for a publicity stunt in which they mirror the appearance of another extremely famous news-bait couple. Part of their appeal is that they are trend setters, not followers.
All the same, the similarities between the two photographs, taken more than five years apart, are remarkable. Surely as coincidental as the rain which lends both images such drama, although many commentators will probably suggest otherwise.
Bethan Holt, The Telegraph 's fashion director and author of two books about royal style, believes both images convey powerful messages. 'That Meghan and Harry picture became iconic almost by accident,' she says. 'It was a case of all the conditions serendipitously coming together to create a picture which somehow perfectly summed up the context in which it was captured.
'Equally, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky would never have planned a Cannes appearance in May to be accompanied by rain and umbrellas, but as music royalty, the similarities with that Meghan and Harry picture are unmistakable and transform what could have been just another red carpet appearance into something which feels more historic.'
That vibrant turquoise shade worn by Rihanna and Meghan is also noteworthy, in that we generally don't see a lot of it at celebrity events. It's not as obvious as black, or silver, or even red; we don't often see swathes of it at the Oscars or Golden Globes.
If anyone has the power to get the wider world to embrace the shade, it's Rihanna – she's clearly fond of it, having worn a turquoise furry Christian Lacroix couture confection to the Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in December 2024. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that she voices Smurfette in the upcoming Smurfs reboot, and her newest song, Friend of Mine, features in the soundtrack.
'[The two photos] cement the power of a cyan blue dress – more impactful than black, but more serene than red or yellow,' Holt says. 'Expect to see this shade on the high street in no time.'