EXCLUSIVE: Damiani Names Stray Kids’ I.N as Global Brand Ambassador

K-BLING: Italian jeweler Damiani is doubling down on its celebrity lineup, naming a new male ambassador.

I.N, a member of K-pop sensation Stray Kids, has been named a global brand ambassador for the house and is to front its advertising campaign to be unveiled after the summer.

Born in Busan, South Korea, in 2001, Yang Jeong-in, known as I.N, is a member of K-Pop boy group Stray Kids. Trained at JYP Entertainment, I.N debuted as a vocalist with Stray Kids in 2018 with the EP “I Am Not.”

“I am really excited to embark on this new adventure with Damiani, a company synonymous with creativity and passion — values with which I identify, as an artist and as a person,” I.N said. “It is an honor for me to become a global ambassador of the maison’s unique style and extraordinary excellence, which is expressed in the exquisite all-Italian craftsmanship.”

In the role, I.N — who is also an ambassador for Bottega Veneta, as reported — joins Hollywood actress Jessica Chastain, who was named a Damiani ambassador last year and appeared in the brand’s ad campaign.

The Stray Kids’ member is not the first formal male ambassador for Damiani, which has a long track record of linking with male celebrities, most notably tapping Brad Pitt for its campaigns. In 2022 it named South Korean actor Son Suk-Ku an ambassador.

“I am delighted to welcome I.N into the family. I am sure that he will interpret the essence of our creations with the flair that only a true artist like him possesses. This collaboration provides further confirmation of the positive outlook that we are experiencing not only in South Korea, but also on the world stage. Together, we will achieve important goals,” said Guido Damiani, president of the Damiani Group, which comprises the Salvini and Bliss jewelry brands, as well as Calderoni, retailer Rocca and glassmaker Venini, in addition to the Damiani label.

Stray Kids set a new milestone by becoming the first act in the history of the Billboard 200 to debut at number one with their first six charting albums. I.N has cowritten and co-composed the tracks “Hug Me” and “Hallucination.”

The group is currently on its third world tour, titled “DominATE,” which drew around 400,000 people across eight recent performances in five Latin American cities. The tour has also spanned Asia and Oceania, and will land in Japan, North America, and Europe through July.

The storied Damiani high jewelry brand was founded in Valenza, Italy, in 1924 by Enrico Grassi Damiani and has gained praise from celebrities including Sharon Stone, Tilda Swinton, Sophia Loren, Gwyneth Paltrow, Isabella Rossellini, and Jennifer Aniston, among others. The brand marked its centennial last year with a roving exhibition of one-of-a-kind pieces titled “Damiani 100 x 100 Italiani.”