by Chinazam Ikechi-Uko.
Billboard posters must be lucrative in Lagos, as there are large ones at every nook and cranny. Some have Xs slashed across, indicating that it is unauthorized. But these Xs never blocked out the messages. One of the widest billboards can be found at the local airport, Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MMA2). A striking advertisement captures attention at the airport, featuring a dark-skinned man in a beige suit with a drink in hand. This man is none other than Damson Idris and this is a Hennessey Campaign.
Nothing says ‘Welcome to Lagos’ like a brush with a Yoruba man and the Snowfall actor, Idris appeals to the Hennessy demographic. The Trade Desk describes this as people interested in alcohol, food, sport, working out, entertainment media, and nightlife— in a nutshell, the young adult Lagos population. A population that has no doubt seen Idris on screen and at fashion events like the Met Gala.
By strategically targeting this audience, Hennessy effectively engages with young adults who frequent upscale venues like The Library, where they purchase bottle service on weekends. While it is clear Hennessy knows who they’re speaking to, there’s a growing belief that their muse did not steal this recipe for his business.
DISCOVER DAMSON IDRIS:
Damson Idris is a Nigerian-British actor best known for his lead role as Franklin Saint in the FX crime drama series Snowfall. While he also starred in films such as Outside the Wire and Farming, for many years, he has followed the white rabbit, taking up exciting projects like the satirical psychological thriller— Swarm.
Nevertheless, his pursuit paid off as he is slated to hit the big screens this summer alongside Brad Pitt in the sports action film, F1. Off the theatres, he was rumoured to be cast as the next James Bond, which he debunked. But a few weeks later, he was announced as a cast member in the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone.
The casting for the film adaptation of “Children of Blood and Bone” sparked an internet discourse, as Damson Idris was among a minority of Nigerian actors cast despite the book’s basis in Nigerian mythology and the author’s prior announcement of seeking Nigerian talent.
THE RISE OF THE CELEBRITY MOGUL:
In other words, it is two months into 2025 and Idris has remained in the news. As film to the singers of the 80s, it expected for breakout stars of the 2020s to start a business. The success stories of celebrity brands like SKIMS, Savage X Fenty, Rare Beauty, Rhode, and Draper James, proved that stars can build and sustain businesses outside alcohol and perfumes.
This led to an expectation and pressure for breakout stars to capitalize on their momentum. In a Vogue interview, another breakout Nigerian star and Emmy award winner, Ayo Edebiri said when asked about capitalising on her buzz, “Bro. I’m over the word momentum. I have no interest in the word momentum. For me, I believe—and we’ll see if I’m right—but what has led me to this moment is not that, you know what I mean?”
This disparity between external expectations and personal perspectives on career progression becomes particularly apparent as Idris steps into the entrepreneurial spotlight with his latest venture. While some, like Edebiri, consciously distance themselves from the pressure of “momentum,” others embrace opportunities to expand their influence. Idris is the latter and his recent venture exemplifies this, demonstrating a move beyond acting and into the realm of entrepreneurship.
DISCOVER DIDRIS:
On the 15th of February, Idris took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce his latest project, a fine jewellery line— Didris. The tweet read, “I’m so proud and excited about my new luxury jewellery brand, @DidrisOfficial Inspired by my mother’s personal story. I hope this inspires more black founders to explore spaces that people like us don’t usually exist in. This is only the beginning.”
In this context, Idris’s choice to launch a fine jewellery line is significant; he specifically aims to break into spaces traditionally dominated by luxury houses, signalling a shift towards greater representation in this market.
It is an indisputable fact that there are fewer black-owned luxury houses. Idris’ choice to launch a fine jewellery line is a calculated one, as Harper’s Bazaar reported, “LVMH’s fine jewellery division ballooned by 167 percent in 2021, over 2020.” This matches the Richemont report that their jewellery brands like Cartier, Buccellati, and Van Cleef & Arpels saw a 38% sales increase in 2022. At the dawn of 2025, several publications began putting out articles on the return of statement jewellery.
Nevertheless, despite the fertile ground that is the fine jewellery industry, it came as a surprise when fans opened the DIDRIS website and saw the items ranging from $3,750 to $58,570 ≈ 5.7 million to 88 million naira. The catalogue included Diamond Stud Earrings for $5250; a yellow gold, pink sapphire and emerald Thin Cuff for $21,175; and a yellow gold and tourmaline ‘Gem Extender Bracelet’ for $39,850.
THE CONTROVERSY:
The price range left fans and enthusiasts alike in shock because while Idris had constantly called it a fine jewellery line, they assumed a level of affordability. Didris’ price point rises above luxury brands like Swarovski.
An X user expressed, “Franklin, my father doesn’t own an oil company, how will I pay this?”
Similar tweets appeared in the comments referring to his character in Snowfall, Franklin, with some asking if he thinks they work in the same industry— Idris played a powerful drug kingpin in the crack cocaine epidemic of the 80s.
While the tweets are humorous, there’s an understanding of their fears. If they are not Idris’ target audience then how can they guarantee his success? They can not… and neither can Idris’ star power.
THE BEAUTY IN IDRIS’ DECISION:
A similar sentiment occurred when renowned singer and mogul, Rihanna partnered with LVMH to launch her luxury fashion line, FENTY, in 2019.
This made Rihanna the first woman and person of colour to launch a line under the LVMH umbrella. However, the conglomerate, LVMH is not known for launching fashion brands as it is known for buying and managing established ones.
In 1987, LVMH launched Christian LaCroix, a haute couture brand whose designs were compared to those of Dior and Chanel. Despite its breathtaking designs, LaCroix struggled to turn a profit and when LVMH sold it to Falic Fashion Group in 2005, it had cumulative losses of more than €44 million.
Rihanna’s FENTY had a quicker death than LaCroix, with LVMH closing the brand in 2021. FENTY struggled to define itself in a cutthroat industry and the pandemic was as unhelpful as her 91 million Instagram followers. As Business Of Fashion put it, “Meanwhile, the cohort of luxury shoppers who had emulated Rihanna’s trademark style — mixing Dior and Saint Laurent with Off-White, Y/Project and Jacquemus — kept on buying from those brands. Wanting to wear the same things as Rihanna and buying them from Rihanna, it turned out, were just not the same thing.”
LVMH’s losses highlight how difficult it is to launch a luxury brand. While the conglomerate succeeds in growing brands, it has yet to discover the formula for starting one It also learned that a celebrity doesn’t have the X needed to solve the problem. Hence, Idris’ decision is daring.
Idris is taking a risk, one that he is aware of. As he said on X, “I hope this inspires more black founders to explore spaces in which people like us don’t usually exist. This is only the beginning.”
In 2023, Luxury fashion expert, Frenchye Harris told Mastercard, “While some 10% of fashion and accessory brands are black-owned, fewer than 1% of brands sold at U.S retailers are owned by diverse founders.”
So Idris’ choice to create a fine jewellery line is more altruistic than the average celebrity brand. While the pricing of his pieces has stirred controversy among fans, it ultimately reflects the high-quality craftsmanship and exclusivity that comes with fine jewellery. The journey of Didris will likely prompt further discussions on access, representation, and the ever-changing dynamics of luxury markets in the years to come. As he seeks to persuade more black people to move into industries with an undersaturation. He knows there is a high chance of failure but if a conglomerate as large and renowned as LVMH never stops trying, why should he?
