Emporio Armani hires another Asian face – Shu Qi

For the coming fall/winter collection, Emporio Armani has selected Chinese actress Shu Qi to be the fashion house’s testimonial in China, Singapore and Malaysia. The prestigious brand continues to build on its appeal in the Asian market, therefore choosing an Asian face seems the natural progression.

Replacing fellow Chinese actress Zhang Zi Yi (who was last season’s ambassador), Shu Qi gives a different unequivocal edge and explicit style to Emporio Armani’s latest collection. Before Zhang, Takeshi Kaneshiro was the first Asian male face to appear in an Emporio Armani advertising campaign for its spring/summer 2009 collection.

The advertising campaign featuring Shu Qi, which was shot on Madison Avenue in New York by world-renowned photographer Mario Sorrenti, rolled out last month in fashion and lifestyle magazines.

The 34-year-old sultry superstar, who has been mesmerising fans since her breakthrough performance in Hou Hsiao Hsien’s Millennium Mambo in 2001, has always been a fan of the brand and feels “great pleasure and honour” to be endorsing the label.

Her other notable endorsements include Kenzo Flower perfume, watch brand Frederique Constant, Red Earth and Lux.

This endorsement will undoubtedly propel and expose Shu Qi to new fashion heights. She believes this to be an excellent partnership because her image “is somewhat matched with the brand’s, and I’m captivated by the impeccable style and sophistication.”

To her, Emporio Armani is a “fashionable and modern brand” and she definitely loves this season’s collection. “It possesses a cosmopolitan mood that is conveyed through the interplay of line and colour,” describes Shu Qi.