IMG_9047.JPG

Ten-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis, star of Beasts of the Southern Wild and the youngest Oscar nominee of all time, has been named the face of Armani Junior, Giorgio Armani’s line for children and teens. She is the first major child celebrity to be the face of a luxury brand.

The young star, who most recently appeared in Oscar-winning drama 12 Years a Slave and will star in this fall’s big-screen adaptation of the musical Annie alongside Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz, was photographed by Stefano Azario, and treated her various outfits almost as characters, imbuing them with humor, irreverence and joy.

VIDEO: Super Bowl Maserati Ad Features Oscar Nominee Quvenzhane Wallis

Says Giorgio Armani:

“Quvenzhane is so talented, despite her young age. Her kindness, curiosity and openness toward others really struck me, as they are all traits I admire. It is for this very reason that I wanted her to be the face of Armani Junior. With her insatiable energy, Quvenzhane made the clothing come alive, interpreting it in her own singular way.”

Says Wallis:

“I’m so happy to be chosen by Mr. Armani to be his ambassador for Armani Junior. I felt the same excitement when I got cast for a major film. Me? Wow! I was honored to wear his custom gown to the Oscars. It made me feel like a princess. When I saw Mr. Armani’s Prive show in New York, the dresses were so pretty … I had too many favorites. Afterwards when I met him, I realized Mr. Armani is such a nice man. I liked that that he was so thoughtful. It’s fun to wear Armani Junior since I really like the clothes. It’s young. It’s cool. My friends are going to want to borrow all my clothes.”