Rihanna's Fenty promotion trip to India sparks controversy over 'cowhide Dior bag'; Cow to feed or Cow to Wear?

Rihanna recently visited the city of dreams, Mumbai, India, after two years, and she did not return without controversy. She arrived at Kalina Airport on 23rd April, 2026. Shortly after, she was all over our social media feeds. From collaborating with influencers to serving looks, RiRi had us all swooning.


One moment that especially grabbed attention was her visit to Antilia, where she was seen performing pooja and embracing Hindu rituals, including doing aarti in line with Sanatani traditions. At the same time, the trip had a clear business angle, she unveiled new Fenty pop-ups in Mumbai through Tira and Sephora as part of her push into the Indian market.

However, controversy soon followed. A clip of the singer feeding a cow while carrying a designer ‘cowhide bag’ from Dior sparked debate online, sparking criticism against the otherwise beloved global star.


Rihanna has been seen embracing the Hindu culture and performing multiple rituals with the Ambanis. This practice was also noticed before during the visits of Footballer Lionel Messi and The Kardashians. It's honestly beautiful to see how these global icons are welcoming new culture. But the question remains, are they doing it just to maintain cordial relationships with the RICH and expand their business, or is it coming straight from their heart? Netizens are calling out Rihanna even though she has been stated as one of the most humble artists over the years.