JACQUEMUS NAMES GRANDMOTHER LILINE FIRST AMBASSADOR

Italian wool, hand stitched, Provençal tailoring. Liline Jacquemus was born in 1946 and raised in Alleins, a small village in the south of France, by an Italian single mother. Now 79, she is the first brand ambassador in the history of her grandson's fashion house. The appointment rejects every convention of celebrity endorsement. While Jacquemus is valued at €576 million across its ready-to-wear and beauty divisions, this appointment prioritizes authenticity over traditional celebrity strategies. The announcement includes a manifesto that reads like performance art. "The ambassador must not be seen, photographed, sketched, remembered, or emotionally associated with any Maison that is not Jacquemus. The ambassador must not pronounce the names of other fashion houses. The ambassador must not wear any other brand, archive, label, or 'just something comfortable'; comfort is conceptual. The ambassador must not like other brands' posts, ever. The ambassador must not use the word 'brand' and must instead say 'family.' The ambassador must not remove Jacquemus pieces at home, at night, or in dreams." The terms satirize the exclusivity clauses that typically bind celebrity ambassadors. Professional celebrity ambassadors can earn $10,000 to $50,000 per campaign, with luxury brands like Chanel and Prada paying higher rates but demanding more exclusive selection processes. Red carpet wardrobe choices are almost certainly stipulated in contracts, as each appearance brings highly-coveted press for the brand. Jacquemus built its narrative on rural Provence and family memory. Liline grew up in a farming family in Alleins, raised by an Italian single mother. "Long before the brand existed, she was already a source of inspiration. Her strength, elegance and authenticity have shaped Simon Porte Jacquemus' vision and continue to define the spirit of Jacquemus" according to the brand statement. Liline is a regular guest at Jacquemus shows, and made her modeling debut for the house in 2020. Jacquemus, with 6.4 million Instagram followers, consistently receives hundreds of thousands of likes per post, while Dolce & Gabbana with over 30 million followers typically receives fewer than 10,000 likes per post. The engagement metrics prove that authentic storytelling outperforms follower count. The brand achieved €280 million in revenue in 2023, though turnover is expected to fall 15 to 20% in 2026. Jacquemus has reportedly contacted investment bank Rothschild & Co to sell a minority stake, suggesting growth pressure despite the family-first messaging. Naming Liline as ambassador is brand positioning disguised as sentiment. Every luxury house is searching for authenticity in an oversaturated celebrity market. The once straightforward model of celebrity endorsement has evolved to prioritize partnerships based on cultural alignment over reach. The most successful partnerships are defined by strategic alignment, not just star power. Skip the sentiment. Buy the strategy. When [Patina-worn luxury handbags are experiencing unprecedented demand](/article/patina-worn-luxury-handbags-are-experiencing-unprecedented-demand-9d4be127-1414-41fe-8667-2f15496cb709) and authenticity commands premiums, appointing your grandmother is not nostalgia. It is the most expensive marketing decision of 2026.