Rihanna, 36, who swung from pop stardom into a prosperous second act as a lingerie and makeup mogul, told Extra TV earlier in the week that she had planned on attending the gala.
The gala still attracted boldface names this year, including Zendaya and Jennifer Lopez, but many fans online said that the lack of Rihanna had been a blow.
(Some even circulated images of the singer hitting the carpet that appeared to have been created by artificial intelligence.)
Rihanna has been a frequent presence at the gala in recent years, but Taylor Swift and Beyoncé have not attended since 2016.
Swift began attending the gala in 2008 and was a co-chair in 2016.
Persons:
Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Swift, ”
Organizations:
Poets Department
Locations:
Paris