KEY POINTS:
What do former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev and current Hollywood starlet Scarlett Johansson have in common?
They both feature in advertisements for luxury goods label Louis Vuitton.
In a move which is sure to raise eyebrows in the fashion world, Gorbachev is set to be splashed across magazine pages from next month, the New York Times reports.
Sports stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf and actress Catherine Deneuve also feature in the advertising campaign, which is designed to market the company's heritage in luggage and travel accessories.
Shot by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz, the former leader is pictured in a car, with a Louis Vuitton bag at his side and the Berlin Wall in the background, according to news agency AP.
And while appearing in advertising campaigns may be second nature to the other celebrities featured, Gorbachev's only other major foray into the commercial world - when he promoted Pizza Hut 10 years ago - was universally greeted as a low point in his career.
In a statement released by Vuitton yesterday, the company said it was making donations to former Vice President Al Gore's The Climate Project to fight global warming and Green Cross International, founded by Gorbachev to promote sustained development.
The company did not disclose the amount of the donations, AP reported.
- NZ HERALD STAFF
