Victoria Beckham unveils new Armani ad

Victoria Beckham has unveiled her latest campaign for Emporio Armani - a smouldering 20ft ad of her clad in sexy lingerie. The huge black and white image of Beckham, with heavily-lined eyes and her hair pulled up into a tight ponytail, was unveiled at the famous Macy's department store on New York's 34th Street. Dressed in a plunging black jacket and Swarovski crystal-studded leggings, the former Spice Girl was on hand at the flagship store with chairman Terry Lundgren for the unveiling. The ad campgain, shot by celebrated fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, is part of a £12 million three-year deal she signed late last year with Giorgio Armani. It follows her husband David's £20 million for the fashion house. Beckham, 35, said she worked hard to prepare for the shoot. She said: "I've been doing a lot of running. Obviously you think: 'I look okay,' but if I'm going to be taking my clothes off, I wanted to tone up a little bit. So I've worked hard to have the confidence to do it." Beckham greeted fans who spent $85 (£56) or more in the store's lingerie department and posed for individual photographs with each in a private meet-and-greet session. She also spoke of her husband saying: "Our kids are happy, David's happy. David's first game back actually will be July 16 here in New York. So we're excited to be coming back. "And we're just really really happy as a family here. Very excited to have him back, it's great." The global recession has taken its toll on Armani, with the fashion house's core profit down 14.6 per cent last year. A statement said: "There is no doubt that 2008 has been a difficult year for the fashion and luxury market." However, revenues edged up slightly to 1.62 billion euros (£1.44bn), boosted by a strong rise in China. Armani opened 50 new stores in 2008, bringing the group's retail network to 539 stores.

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ITN | May 8, 2009

Tags:. .cent. .slightly. .leggings. .revenues. .session