Zayn Malik Is A Versace Designer Now

Zayn Malik just got a huge boost in the fashion world, lining up a gig as the head of Versus Versace’s new campaign. Donatella Versace has enlisted the former One Direction star to lead her fashion house’s more youthful line for Spring 2017, and he’ll also be the face of the new campaign.

“Many celebrities do clothing lines that just aren’t relevant. This one? It will be. He’s smart to do it with me,” Donatella told the New York Times. “I wanted Zayn because he can help me talk to his followers. I want to listen to their language. I want to learn more about them, what they think and what they like. They are a new generation that without working with someone like Zayn, I will never reach.”

The fit was so perfect that it outweighed the famous designer’s initial disinterest in 1D.

“I was not exactly a fan of that band,” she said about meeting Zayn when he was still in that group. “But then I met him again when he started to date Gigi [Hadid], who I work with all the time. And he impressed me very much — he was so mature, so thoughtful, treated her like such a gentleman. They are very nice young people, a lovely couple, in fact. And then he told me how much he loved fashion. It was then I knew he was the right face for what I had in mind.”

Earlier this year, Zayn teamed up with Versace for his metallic robo-arm at the Met Gala. For this, he and Donatella will design the Zayn X Versus capsule collection, which will be unveiled and available for purchase in the spring. The singer was supposed to do a round of interviews about the partnership at London Fashion Week, but he bailed without warning — as we know, he’s been battling serious anxiety issues. But he did offer up a statement to the NYT over email:

“I think Versus has always been a very cool brand and is a great brand for me and for people in my generation. I’ve always wanted to design clothes and there’s no brand I’d rather design for than Versus. I like to learn about things I’m interested in and I enjoy being around creative people so I think it will be cool. The bonus is that I get to collaborate with Donatella, whom I love and admire. I know we’ll create something amazing.”