Paul Smith is set to appear in two co-branded advertising campaigns promoting the Woolmark label after signing a new deal as the face of the Australian company.

“I have always been a fan of natural fibers, cotton for shirts and wool for the rest — a good staple diet for a fashion designer,” said Smith. “I’m very supportive of good, solid businesses like all the natural fibers that we need to support around the world.”

Smith will also use Australian merino wool — including a specially woven summer ‘Cool Wool’ — for his next two men’s collections, which are set to be unveiled in London this January and June.

The designer further explained the appeal of the link up: “Cool Wool is very important for us because Paul Smith is selling into 72 countries around the world and a lot of the countries we sell to are very hot all year round or very humid.”

Woolmark is owned by Australian Wool innovation, a not-for-profit collective uniting more than 25,000 of the country’s woolgrowers.