These are some of fashion and beauty’s most impactful ambassadorship announcements and campaigns featuring Asian stars in 2026.
Although VIP endorsements are hardly a novelty, in recent years, celebrity ambassadorships and campaigns have become a fundamental part of the marketing ecosystem. Selecting celebrities to endorse brands and promote specific products is a prosperous marketing strategy adopted across industries. However, for brands in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle (FBL) sector, ambassadorship marketing is a particularly fruitful business and valuable form of cultural currency.
According to a professional survey conducted by data company Launchmetrics in 2024, 58% of professionals working in the FBL industry reported strengthening their “brand ambassador marketing efforts” over the last five years. In 2026, Le Monde reports that the budget brands dedicate to ambassadors represents 16% to 40% of their “total marketing resources.”
The numbers speak to a greater focus on amplifying brand visibility, improving credibility and reputation, and influencing the cultural landscape through key opinion leaders.
The approach to celebrity endorsements has shifted
While in the past, brands teamed up with celebrities to promote a specific campaign, sometimes relegating them to the role of models, today, the relationship between brands and ambassadors runs deeper. Brands are strategically integrating selected talent into their universe and reinforcing their relationship through multiple channels of collaboration, instead of fleeting one-offs.
For brands, authenticity, shared values and emotional resonance with consumers weigh heavily when selecting celebrity partnerships. Not to mention that brands have reinforced their cultural fluency to tap into new markets and widen their reach. In the past, stars hailing from the United States and Europe dominated the endorsement market. Today, global consumers’ demand for diversity and storytelling beyond aspirational values has encouraged brands to look at other world regions.
Asia Pacific (APAC), in particular, has emerged as a hub for celebrity ambassadors. In 2024, alone, 50% of the most influential brand ambassadors in the FBL sector hailed from the region. The list isn’t limited to South Korean stars, famously recognized for their strong international presence and dedicated fandom. Thailand, the Philippines, Japan and India, among other countries, are also exporting top-tier and equally marketable talent.
The measurable impact of APAC brand ambassadorships
Brands enlisting APAC talent attuned to their values and communities as brand ambassadors can expect greater exposure, consumer loyalty and collaborations that drive cultural conversations. While cultural relevance can’t be reduced to metrics, well-executed brand ambassadorships generate measurable impact.
The Lectra-owned Launchmetrics, for example, assesses the reach of brand-celebrity partnerships with a proprietary machine algorithm, Media Impact Value (MIV). This metric considers qualitative and quantitative factors such as engagement, industry relevance and content quality to assign monetary value to posts, interactions or articles related to brands’ marketing efforts. MIV allows brands to benchmark their strategy and identify the marketing moves that achieve the best results and align with their goals.
Who are the APAC celebrities asserting their influence as brand ambassadors in 2026?
Celebrities from the APAC region continue to expand their influence across continents and fields in 2026. Accordingly, brands across categories, from performance wear and mid-market Ready-To-Wear to high jewelry and fragrance, have strengthened their portfolios with ambassador appointments and collaborations featuring Asian singers, actors and other relevant figures in culture and entertainment.
Below, dive into notable ambassador announcements and campaigns featuring APAC talent and brands from the FBL sector, through data provided by Launchmetrics throughout 2026.
Successful jewelry and watch brands are tapping Chinese and Indian stars
China and India represent two of the world’s largest markets for luxury, so it isn’t any wonder brands are increasingly focused on partnering with major celebrities in countries where local names dominate the advertising landscape. Both countries are also growing soft power forces, with flourishing entertainment scenes and well-recognized celebs on the international arena.
A clear example is Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who joined luxury watchmaker Rolex as a brand ambassador on June 15. The new team-up generated $1.2 million in MIV within a week (June 15 – 22), while the top related placement garnered $299K in MIV.
Likewise, fashion watch brand Daniel Wellington selected Bollywood star Sharvari to represent it.
The announcement took place at an exclusive event in Mumbai, where Deepak Chhabra, Managing Director of Timex Group India, reflected on the importance of the partnership. “India is an increasingly important market for Daniel Wellington, and as we continue to build the brand here, we wanted a brand ambassador who reflects the confidence and individuality of today’s consumer,” Chhabra said.
On social media, the Instagram post celebrating the new affiliation prompted a 12-fold increase in brand performance on the day of, with the top post accruing $458K in MIV. The announcement ultimately generated $940K in MIV between July 29 and August 5.
Meanwhile, Italian jeweler Pomellato appointed actress Yang Zi as its new global brand ambassador on July 29. According to Launchmetrics, the announcement nearly 10-fold increased Pomellato’s brand performance on the day of the announcement and generated $2.2 million in MIV from July 29 to August 5.
The top placement was a collaborative Instagram post between Yang Zi and Pomellato, which garnered $438K in MIV.
Brands are replicating the same dynamic in countries such as Japan, Thailand and Turkey, where jewelry and watch houses like Bvlgari have already entrusted names such as Afra Saraçoğlu (Turkey), Ren Meguro (Japan) and Orm Kornnaphat (Thailand) to elevate the brand’s presence in local markets.
South Korean and Thai men are leading a new era of beauty advertising
Much has been said about the rise of the male beauty ambassador (or heartthrob advertising) in 2026. From athletes and Hollywood actors to influencers and singers, male stars have become go-to endorsers of beauty products. The reason? Brands are leaning into the internet boyfriend phenomenon to shift narratives in beauty and promote products not only to men but also to women.
The idea is to enlist male celebrities who are widely recognized in pop culture for a balanced combination of career accolades, fandom power and social media virality (think of Canadian-Korean actor Hudson Williams, recently enlisted as a Skin1004 ambassador or Babygirl star Harris Dickinson becoming the first male ambassador for Rhode). These celebrities might endorse men’s beauty products like fragrances or hair care, but brands can also leverage their image to promote makeup or skincare traditionally endorsed by women celebs.
The role isn’t as new for high-profile men from the APAC region as it is for stars in Europe and the United States, so Asian male stars are leading this movement. The difference, however, is that compared to a decade or so ago, their role is no longer local. They are now representing brands at an international or global scale.
Prada, for instance, officially welcomed Thai actor Win Metawin into its roster of international beauty ambassadors on March 6.
According to Launchmetrics, the appointment news generated $1.4 million in MIV between March 6 and 13. A subsequent post by the actor promoting the Paradigme fragrance drove $388K in MIV on its own.
The appointment marked yet another milestone in the actor’s well-established association with Prada, a brand he has been affiliated with since 2022. The actor initially fostered a friendship with the Italian powerhouse through Fashion Week invitations. At the beginning of 2023, he was named a Prada ambassador (for fashion) and has since participated in various Prada events across the globe, from Milan to Seoul to Thailand.
Now the actor takes a step forward into this association, joining the likes of Tom Holland and actor Byeon Woo Seok in representing Prada’s beauty segment.
Another APAC heartthrob making waves in beauty is Jungkook
The singer is one of Asia’s most coveted brand ambassadors, so his venture into beauty advertising isn’t at all unexpected. In December 2025, the South Korean star was named a Chanel House Ambassador for Fragrances and Beauty, raising anticipation for future endeavours between him and Chanel.
At the beginning of August, the French Maison finally dropped its first product campaign featuring Jungkook. The BTS member lent his image to promote the launch of 1957 L’Extrait de Parfum, an exclusive addition to the “Les Extraits de CHANEL” collection and spinoff of the 1957 fragrance, which enjoys particular popularity in China and other East Asian nations.
Per Launchmetrics, the campaign garnered $11.7 million in MIV from August 6 to 13, with an Instagram post by Chanel emerging as the top placement. The publication, which features a close-up image of Jungkook holding the new fragrance, drove $664K in MIV.
Brands are devoting more attention to securing a diverse roster of Asian celebrities
With the celebrity marketing economy growing exponentially in recent years and Asian stars proving their ability to deliver hype and enhance brand desirability, brands are also willing to invest more in formalizing associations with a wider range of APAC stars. One ambassador hailing from the region is no longer enough.
Case in point: Luxury leather goods brand Tod’s has built a strong catalog of APAC celebrity partners since 2023, when they tapped South Korean star Jungwoo as ambassador. In 2026, the brand upped the stakes, adding South Korean singer Han and Thai-British singer and actor Rebecca Patricia Armstrong to its roster.
Han, member of the K-pop group Stray Kids and a recognized songwriter and producer, joined Tod’s a few days ahead of his first Men’s Fashion Week attendance in Milan. As reported by No Manners back in June, Han’s appointment accrued $14.8 million in MIV for Tod’s within a week (June 15-22), making it one of the most impactful ambassador appointments of 2026 in the luxury sector.
Han and Tod’s shared the news through an Instagram collaboration that drove $757K in MIV and sparked a 16-fold spike in overall brand performance the day of the announcement.
Tod’s x Rebecca Patricia Armstrong
Meanwhile, the appointment of Rebecca Patricia Armstrong (Becky) generated $2.1M in MIV between August 4 and 11. The top post related to her ambassadorship announcement generated $534K in MIV on its own.
“Her presence was equally felt even before the official appointment: at the Tod’s FW26 Womenswear show during Milan Fashion Week in February,” shared Launchmetrics. “She ranked as the brand’s single highest-generating voice, driving $6.3 million in MIV out of the brand’s total $30.7 million for the season, with her top post alone generating $1.7 million [in direct MIV].”
Novel ambassadorships can introduce artists and brands to new audiences
Jisoo, one of the most sought-after names in the FBL sector, recently added alpine sneaker brand Salomon to her endorsement portfolio. The new association was a first on both ends.
The star already represents a myriad of brands across categories, including but not limited to Dior for luxury fashion and beauty, Cartier for high jewelry, Alo for sportswear, Tommy Hilfiger for premium clothing and Dyson for beauty tools. However, this is the first time Jisoo partners with a performance footwear brand, mainly recognized as a cult, IYKYK name.
Salomon is equally new to the APAC ambassador strategy—as solution and management agency Clothette reported in May, “the brand had never attached its name to a personality of Jisoo’s profile in the pop culture space.”
Bridging pop culture and high-performance gear, this association generated $2.2 million in MIV between May 28 and June 4. The post welcoming Jisoo into the Salomon family was posted to both the brand and artist’s Instagram accounts and accrued $516K in MIV. “The announcement boosted the brand’s overall performance nearly sevenfold on the day it was made,” shared Launchmetrics.
And not everything is about high-end luxury
While exclusive and strict ambassadorship contracts were the norm in past years, over the last couple of years, contract conditions have loosened up, allowing the same talent to represent various brands as long as they belong to different segments of the FBL market. When celebrities reach a certain level of reputation and flaunt enough career accolades, they tend to diversify their endorsement portfolios beyond restrictive luxury ambassadorships. And when they do, brands are vying for the endorsement opportunities.
Post-pandemic, streetwear and athleisure brands have increasingly ventured into APAC celebrity marketing, unlocking new audiences and business opportunities.
The US-based athletic and lifestyle brand Champion, for example, introduced South Korean singer V, a member of BTS and solo artist, as a global brand ambassador on August 10. The brand ambassador announcement dropped alongside a global campaign featuring a notable cast of athletes, artists and content creators.
According to Launchmetrics, the newly-minted association generated $6.3 million in MIV within 48 hours (August 10 -12), with the top post driving $581K in MIV. The data company also reports that Champion’s overall brand performance increased 37-fold on the announcement day.
V is no stranger to the world of celebrity endorsements in the FBL sector—he is a Celine and Cartier ambassador and is affiliated with South Korean brands TirTir for makeup and Snow Peak Apparel for performance gear, to name a few. His partnership with Champion expands the artist’s influence in the FBL market and connects him with a brand recognized for its ever-expanding portfolio of projects, which ranges from special capsule collections to forays into categories like fragrance.
Brands and ambassadors are nailing the art of collaboration
And speaking of collaboration, brands in the Ready-To-Wear segment have elevated their ambassador relationships through collaborative initiatives, where celebrities not only lend their image, but also their creativity and curatorial skills.
In addition to his link-up with Chanel Beauty and Fragrances, Jungkook is a prominent ambassador for brands in the clothing, watch, and jewelry segment. This year alone, the singer partnered with the Swiss watchmaker Hublot and became the face of British high jeweler Graff. (At Hublot, Jungkook’s ambassadorship announcement drove $32.3 million in MIV within a week, a 141% increase in brand performance compared to the MIV Hublot garnered in a regular month in 2025.)
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While all these associations are remarkably impactful on their own, his long-time partnership with Calvin Klein is perhaps the most notable thanks to its collaborative approach.
Within a couple of years, the singer has gone from fronting campaigns and attending Fashion Week shows to launching his own capsule collection with the brand. Announced on May 15, only the news of a collaboration generated $3.4 million in MIV within 48 hours (May 15 – 17), with the first glimpse into the project garnering $908K and anticipating what would be a sold-out launch on May 20, once the full campaign was unveiled and the collection hit stores.
