Keeping it cool: Rihanna builds an 'arctic urban forest' to showcase her 'genderless' gothic designs at the Fenty x Puma New York Fashion Week show

By Charlie Lankston At New York Fashion Week For Dailymail.com

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Rihanna certainly made an impact during her New York Fashion Week debut as a creative director of Puma on Friday, wowing a star-studded crowd with her 'genderless' designs and industrial ice jungle setting.

The 27-year-old created an 'arctic urban forest' inside 23 Wall Morgan House, sending models down a chrome catwalk in a series of bold monochrome designs which looked to be influenced by the same urban street style that the singer has become famous for herself. 

Led by sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid, the models were the epitome of glamorous goth, wearing very little make-up, save for a dramatic matte black lip and slicked-back painted white roots. 

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What a pair: The Hadid sisters took to the catwalk at Rihanna's Fenty x Puma show, with Gigi wearing a midi length fur hoodie, while Bella (pictured) was dressed in a skin-tight lace-up catsuit
What a pair: The Hadid sisters took to the catwalk at Rihanna's Fenty x Puma show, with Gigi (pictured) wearing a midi length fur hoodie, while Bella was dressed in a skin-tight lace-up catsuit

What a pair: The Hadid sisters took to the catwalk at Rihanna's Fenty x Puma show, with Gigi (right) wearing a midi length fur hoodie, while Bella was dressed in a skin-tight lace-up catsuit

Winter is coming: Rihanna wanted to created an 'arctic urban forest', with models strutting their stuff down a chrome runway in a variety of form-fitting styles which were often paired with over-sized outerwear
Winter is coming: Rihanna wanted to created an 'arctic urban forest', with models strutting their stuff down a chrome runway in a variety of form-fitting styles which were often paired with over-sized outerwear
Winter is coming: Rihanna wanted to created an 'arctic urban forest', with models strutting their stuff down a chrome runway in a variety of form-fitting styles which were often paired with over-sized outerwear

Winter is coming: Rihanna wanted to created an 'arctic urban forest', with models strutting their stuff down a chrome runway in a variety of form-fitting styles which were often paired with over-sized outerwear

Keeping it cool: The 27-year-old designer created a glamorous gothic beauty look for her models, courtesy of a matte black lip and slicked-back painted white hair

Keeping it cool: The 27-year-old designer created a glamorous gothic beauty look for her models, courtesy of a matte black lip and slicked-back painted white hair

The clothes themselves were a mix of form-fitting streetwear - skin-tight jumpsuits, crop tops and hot pants - and over-sized outerwear - large down coats, furry hoodies and chunky hooded scarves. 

Continuing with the gothic theme, many models were given 90s-style chunky cross chokers to wear around their necks, while others modeled rosary-style body chains, and silver lip and nose piercings.

According to a Puma press release, Rihanna aimed to do away with gender-bound designs, opting instead to create a collection of genderless clothing which would appeal to both men and women.

The release explained: '[Rihanna] challenged traditional male and female silhouettes and blurred the lines between genders that are often times too rigid for her fashion tastes.' 

Something for everyone: According to a Puma press release, Rihanna wanted to create a genderless collection that would 'blur the lines between genders that are often times too rigid for her fashion tastes'
Something for everyone: According to a Puma press release, Rihanna wanted to create a genderless collection that would 'blur the lines between genders that are often times too rigid for her fashion tastes'
Something for everyone: According to a Puma press release, Rihanna wanted to create a genderless collection that would 'blur the lines between genders that are often times too rigid for her fashion tastes'

Something for everyone: According to a Puma press release, Rihanna wanted to create a genderless collection that would 'blur the lines between genders that are often times too rigid for her fashion tastes'

Monochrome magic: The black-and-white color scheme showcased the intricate design details on the clothing, such as the risque body-length lacing and chunky choker necklaces, perfectly
Monochrome magic: The black-and-white color scheme showcased the intricate design details on the clothing, such as the risque body-length lacing and chunky choker necklaces, perfectly

Monochrome magic: The black-and-white color scheme showcased the intricate design details on the clothing, such as the risque body-length lacing and chunky choker necklaces, perfectly

Put your foot in it: The shoes were one of the stand-out successes of the collection, from the casual creepers (pictured) to the lace-up thigh-high sneaker boots
Put your foot in it: The shoes were one of the stand-out successes of the collection, from the casual creepers to the lace-up thigh-high sneaker boots
Put your foot in it: The shoes were one of the stand-out successes of the collection, from the casual creepers to the lace-up thigh-high sneaker boots (pictured)

Put your foot in it: The shoes were one of the stand-out successes of the collection, from the casual creepers (left) to the lace-up thigh-high sneaker boots (right) 

Celebrating her success: Rihanna took to the runway in one of her own designs, an over-sized quarter-zip hoodie and a pair of black stiletto sneakers

Celebrating her success: Rihanna took to the runway in one of her own designs, an over-sized quarter-zip hoodie and a pair of black stiletto sneakers

Expanding on the success of her footwear collaboration with Puma - a line of platform creepers which sold out within minutes of release - Rihanna focused much of her attention on the shoes, succeeding in debuting a unique collection which perfectly mixed the comfort of urban sneaker styles with red carpet glamour. 

While some models were clad in thigh-high lace-up sneaker boots, others were given pointed-toe stiletto sneakers; and, of course, there were those who had the honor of strutting their stuff down the runway in Rihanna's new range of creepers.

The singer herself also took to the runway in one of her own designs, donning an over-sized quarter-zip hoodie which sat mid-thigh, baring plenty of leg, and allowing Rihanna to showcase her black-and-white stiletto sneakers to full effect. 

Unlike her models, the designer did not opt for a dark black lip, but instead added a slick of glossto offset her subtly smokey cat-eye. 

New York Fashion Week

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