Rihanna has made a powerful statement with her latest lingerie campaign, casting Vivian Wilson, the 21-year-old transgender daughter of tech billionaire Elon Musk.
A Starring Role in a Major Campaign
The campaign for Savage x Fenty's Valentine's Day collection, titled Love So Savage: A Modern Ode to Aphrodite, marks one of Vivian Wilson's most significant modelling jobs to date. In newly released imagery, she is seen posing in a striking red and black floral bra and matching bottoms, paired with bold red tights.
Vivian, whose mother is Musk's first wife Justine Wilson, is the eldest of the X owner's 14 children. She launched her professional modelling career last year and made her New York Fashion Week debut in September 2025. The Savage x Fenty shoot features her alongside fellow models Emma Arletta and Lovie Simone, with the group pictured amongst classical Greek statues.
The 21-year-old has been publicly estranged from her 54-year-old father since coming out as transgender in 2020. She officially severed legal ties with a name change in 2022, notably just days after Musk endorsed Donald Trump for president.
A Public and Painful Estrangement
The rift between Vivian and her famous father has played out in the public eye. In legal documents, she stated: ‘I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.’
The situation escalated when Elon Musk, during an appearance on a podcast with influencer Jordan Peterson, repeatedly deadnamed his daughter and declared she had ‘been killed by the woke mind virus’.
Vivian responded on Threads, telling him to ‘touch grass’ and hitting back that he is ‘desperate for attention and validation’. In a past interview with Teen Vogue, she spoke about the weight of his reputation, saying: ‘I’m not giving anyone that space in my mind. The only thing that gets to live free in my mind is drag queens.’
Her mother, Justine, has praised Vivian as ‘fierce’ and possessing an ‘uncompromising sense’ of self.
Using Platform for Advocacy and Inclusion
Vivian Wilson has used her growing platform to advocate for marginalised communities. She previously designed a charity shirt for the Trevor Project in collaboration with brand Wildfang. Speaking about her experience, she has emphasised that being trans is not a choice.
‘Obviously, it’s not just trans people that are affected by the current administration, [there are] marginalised groups such as undocumented immigrants and people of colour,’ she said. ‘[I’m] really trying to do more advocacy on that front, since the current administration has kind of been like a wrecking ball in that regard.’
Her role with Savage x Fenty aligns with this advocacy; the brand is renowned for its diverse model casting and inclusive sizing. Meanwhile, Rihanna continues to focus on her business ventures, with fans still eagerly awaiting her musical return.
