Prada Appoints Chinese Star Yang Mi As Its Latest Brand Ambassador  

Prada has appointed Chinese actor Yang Mi has its latest celebrity endorser in China.

The 39-year-old thespian has appeared in over 70 movies and television series, including Baby, Palace, The Lychee Road, Chinese Paladin 3 and This Thriving Land.  

During the announcement, the Italian maison focused on Yang Mi’s storied career and on-screen personas, as well as social media cachet and social consciousness, as the primary reasons for picking her as its brand ambassador.  She has been active in supporting social causes such as rehabilitation for autistic children and safe drinking water for rural children.    

The actor is widely known as one of the biggest stars and highest-paid heroines in the industry. She is also influential on social media, having over 113 million followers on Weibo and logging over 13.6 billion impressions on Xiaohongshu so far.   

Yang Mi stated, “Prada has always held a unique place in my heart. I admire its understated yet unforgettable style, as well as the brand’s unwavering commitment to using design to build its own distinctive language.”

A former child actor and graduate of the Beijing Film Academy, Yang Mi has been a magnet for major international fashion brands; having collaborated with the likes of Loewe, Versace, Michael Kors and Victoria’s Secret in recent years.

According to ASN data, Prada (1.6%, ~US$4.6m) is the 7^th biggest investor for the apparel category in the Asian sponsorship market since Q123, with a quarterly investment of US$406k during this period. The forecast for Q425 is poised to hit US$409k, a sum close to the usual average after a rather quiet Q325 which saw a mere US$184k in investment. In terms of markets, the brand’s spends are focused on China (63%), South Korea (27.6%) and Thailand (9.4%). The Italian luxury brand focuses on celebrity endorsements in the entertainment world, usually between US$200k and US$440k.