David Beckham is stripping again, but this time it’s to be the official worldwide testimonial for Emporio Armani Underwear beginning in January 2008, coinciding with the launch of the Emporio Armani Underwear collection in the United States. His campaign was shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott and will debut with a special gatefold in the February edition of Vanity Fair. Giorgio Armani has dressed many soccer stars from Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Thierry Henry, Christian Vieri, Fabio Cannavaro, Andriy Shevchenko, and Kaká and was the first fashion designer to select a soccer player as a testimonial when David James famously appeared in his Spring/Summer 1996 Armani Jeans campaign. Armani explains his choice, saying, “David is truly a modern-day icon in that his fame extends well beyond the realm of soccer. He is considered as one of the world’s most talented soccer players and a former captain of his national team, but his image has come to stand for more than this. He represents a notion of modern masculinity: as a sports hero, husband, and father. He is also a man with a great sense of style. There was a time when soccer players were not always considered to be fashion role models. David Beckham has helped to change that.”
