Coty Inc.'s Global Color Brand ASTOR Forms Creative Alliance With Heidi Klum

NEW YORK, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Coty Inc., a leader in the global beauty industry, announced the signing of German supermodel and television presenter Heidi Klum as the new face and artistic advisor for the global beauty brand ASTOR. As part of the long term collaboration, Ms. Klum has partnered with ASTOR to help set artistic direction for a new generation of modern makeup collections and communicate her fashion-forward point of view to consumers, the press and beauty influencers.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100910/NY61580 )

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An internationally successful model, Heidi Klum has also established herself as a multi-talented television host and producer, actress, fashion designer and astute business woman. She is known across the world not only for her fashion magazine covers but also as the award-winning host of 'Project Runway' and 'Germany's Next Top Model by Heidi Klum', for her numerous appearances in television shows and films. Klum has created and designed several successful beauty and fashion collections for brands including Victoria's Secret Beauty, Destination Maternity and New Balance for Amazon. She is excited to bring her expertise and experience to this role. The new collaboration with ASTOR will capitalize upon Klum's unrivalled beauty, personality and talent to strengthen the success of this innovative high-quality cosmetics brand.

Talking about the new signing, Bernd Beetz, Chief Executive Officer, Coty Inc., comments, "We are very excited about the new partnership between Heidi Klum and ASTOR and feel that it has huge potential.  As one of the most beautiful, talented and most recognized women in the world, Heidi will play an important role in ensuring that the ASTOR brand continues to be seen as relevant, modern and sophisticated."

A life-long lover of ASTOR, Heidi Klum reveals, "I'm thrilled to be part of the ASTOR family! ASTOR has such a long and strong heritage and continues to create innovative products with great colors and textures. I look forward to bringing my experiences in fashion and beauty to my new role."

This first-of-its-kind creative collaboration allows the ASTOR brand to integrate Ms. Klum's fashion-forward point of view into the brand collections, and capitalize on the style trends, as part of the company's mission to introduce the brand to a new audience and speak to consumers in a totally new and unique way. In this capacity Ms. Klum will be involved in the design of product collections inspired by the latest runway trends, and appear in upcoming print and television campaigns. As part of the alliance, ASTOR will make Ms. Klum's personality and inspiration an integrated part of the brand's marketing message through print, online and in-store efforts.

Renato Semerari, President, Coty Beauty, says, "We are delighted that Heidi Klum will be representing ASTOR, especially at such an exciting time in the brand's development as it moves forward with a new visual identity. As an elegant, confident, successful woman, wife and mother, Heidi perfectly represents ASTOR's new signature: 'Live Beautifully'".

Stephen Mormoris, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, Coty Beauty, adds, "Heidi Klum was an obvious choice for us for brand ambassador for ASTOR. Her beauty is glamorous and feminine but she's also down to earth and approachable, that's why she is an inspirational role model for women of all ages. Furthermore, we're very excited about the fashion influences she'll be able to bring to new product collections."

About Coty Inc.

Coty was created in Paris in 1904 by Francois Coty who is credited with founding the modern fragrance industry.

Today, Coty Inc. is a recognized leader in global beauty with annual net sales of nearly $4 billion. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, passion, innovation and creativity, Coty Inc. has developed an unrivaled portfolio of notable brands and delivers its innovative products to consumers in 90 markets worldwide.

The Coty Prestige brand portfolio is distributed in prestige and ultra-prestige stores and includes Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein, Cerruti, Chloe, Chopard, Davidoff, Home Skin Lab, Jennifer Lopez, Jil Sander, JOOP!, Karl Lagerfeld, Kenneth Cole, L.A.M.B. fragrance by Gwen Stefani, La Voce by Renee Fleming , Lancaster, Marc Jacobs, Nikos, Sarah Jessica Parker, Vera Wang, Vivienne Westwood and Wolfgang Joop.

The Coty Beauty brand portfolio is more widely distributed and includes adidas, ASTOR, Baby Phat, Beyonce Knowles, Celine Dion, Chupa Chups, David and Victoria Beckham, Esprit, Exclamation, Faith Hill, GUESS, Halle Berry, Jovan, Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, La Cross, Miss Sixty, Miss Sporty, N.Y.C. New York Color, Pierre Cardin(1), Playboy, Rimmel, Sally Hansen, Shania Twain, Stetson, Tim McGraw, and Tonino Lamborghini.

Coty and Puig Fashion and Beauty S.A. have a strategic partnership for the distribution of the perfume lines of Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrera, Prada, Paco Rabanne, and Antonio Banderas in the United States and Canada.

For additional information about Coty Inc., please visit www.coty.com.

(1) Not available in North America

About ASTOR

ASTOR is an international beauty brand that was launched in 1952, surfing on the post-war economic boom and women's desire to be colourful and fashionable again.

Since its creation, ASTOR has grown to be one of the leaders in the European cosmetics market, by remaining focused on innovative and reliable products. ASTOR's irresistible colours set trends over the past decades and enabled generations of women to express their beauty in all situations.

The brand has evolved with the times, consistently offering customers high quality products, that are glamorous yet technologically advanced, elegant yet affordable, fashionable yet eminently wearable. Today, the brand writes a new page in its history with an evolved logo, a new in-store presence and a new advertising campaign under the "Live Beautifully" leitmotif.

The ASTOR brand is distributed in perfumery chains, department stores, drug stores & mass merchandisers in many European markets namely Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary, and Romania.

For additional information about ASTOR, please visit www.astorcosmetics.com

SOURCE Coty Inc.