Jaden Smith, the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, is the latest celebrity teen to be tapped by a high-end fashion house with his headline-grabbing debut in Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2016 ad campaign. The brand’s creative director, Nicolas Ghesquière, made the announcement by sharing two snaps from the series—shot by legendary photographer Bruce Weber—on his Instagram page. The social posts show Smith clad in a leather jacket and skirt, posing solo in the first shot and alongside three female models in the second.
Jaden Smith in Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2016 ad campaign
The 17-year-old is following the footsteps of his sister, Willow, who appeared in Marc Jacobs’ fall/winter 2015 campaign at the age of 14, and fellow celebrity offspring Romeo Beckham, who starred in his first ad for Burberry at age 12. But the decision to cast Smith, who has established a well-known penchant for pushing the boundaries of fashion, is perfect for Louis Vuitton, according to Ghesquière.
“Why does Jaden Smith star in this campaign?” he says in a release. “He represents a generation that has assimilated the codes of true freedom, one that is free of manifestos and questions about gender.”
