Emporio Armani, Shawn Mendes plan to keep working together

Emporio Armani and songwriter Shawn Mendes have extended their collaboration through 2018. Mendes will now be the face of the Italian brand’s entire watch collection.

The partnership between the Canadian-born singer and the label was unveiled last June when Mendes walked the runway at the Emporio Armani spring 2018 show, unveiling the first smartwatch for the brand.

“Shawn [Mendes] has been a perfect ambassador for Emporio Armani; he has transmitted his fresh and innovative spirit, as well as his energy and passion for the brand to his fans all over the world. It’s been just logical and natural to extend and widen our partnership,” said Giorgio Armani.

The artist, whose third studio album titled “Shawn Mendes” was released on May 25, said “Emporio Armani was just a natural choice, true to my style, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity I was given to keep collaborating with Giorgio Armani and his team.”

The timepiece’s ad campaign was shot in Toronto by French photographer Ugo Richard and is flanked by a video conceived by Italian director Francesco Meneghini. The portraits capture an intense Mendes in black and white.

The Emporio Armani watch collection will make its debut at retail in August. Timepieces will be available at the brand’s flagships and the online shop as well as at select department sores.

Emporio Armani, a regular on the Milan Fashion Week Men’s schedule, is the latest Italian brand to have opted for a coed show, to be hosted in September during the city’s women’s fashion week.