When Scarlett Johansson turned up on the set for Louis Vuitton's spring campaign last month, the crew discovered the actress had given her famous blonde locks a pink tint.
That suited Vuitton artistic director Marc Jacobs just fine, given the romantic mood of his collection, which featured dense ruffles, Liberty prints and monogram handbags overlaid with metallic lace.
"She looks like the French coquette," Jacobs said of Johansson's appearance in Vuitton's next campaign, slated to break in February magazines. "It's just fresh, very romantic and extremely pretty."
The luxury brand does not disclose figures, but analysts have estimated Vuitton spends more than $250 million annually on advertising.
The spring-summer spots, photographed by Vuitton regulars Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott at a London studio equipped with a swing as the central prop, represent an encore for Johansson, who posed for the French company in 2004 beside a crop of other young actors, including Chloë Sevigny, Christina Ricci, Diane Kruger and Hayden Christensen.
Jacobs said Johansson is a "terrific" model, whose voluptuous curves and flawless skin are displayed in the ads to full effect. She shares the spotlight with Vuitton's latest collection of covetable bags, including its emblematic LoVe totes. Ready-to-wear, footwear, fine jewelry and fantasy jewelry also are featured.
Past Vuitton campaigns have included the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Uma Thurman, and Jacobs said only celebrities or supermodels seem to suit the brand's stature. "It works for us," he said. "I think of Vuitton as a larger-than-life luxury brand."
But Johansson's isn't the only campaign for Vuitton next season. There is also a dedicated campaign for Vuitton's iconic "Nomade" leather featuring model Gemma Ward and photographed by Alas and Piggott. It will appear in select titles this month and next.
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