Victoria Beckham to avertise Emporio Armani underwear

Victoria Beckham is to star in a £12 million advertising campaign for Emporio Armani underwear.

The former Spice Girls star will follow in the footsteps of her soccer star husband David by modelling the fashion giant's lingerie line.

Victoria said: "To be given this opportunity to work with Giorgio Armani is thrilling. I have so much respect for him."

The campaign will be unveiled for the spring/summer 2009 season. Giorgio Armani said: "Who better than Victoria Beckham to launch our new global Emporio Armani underwear campaign?

"Victoria is a style icon, a dynamic lady whose influence and recognition will add great excitement to the continued international growth of our Emporio Armani women's underwear business."

The 34-year-old beauty posed for the photographs in Malibu, California, where she lives with David and their three sons. The exclusive pictures were shot by renowned photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, who also took the photos of David for campaign earlier this year.

David – who caused controversy when his advertisement was unveiled, with some critics claiming the pictures had been airbrushed to make him appear well-endowed – previously revealed he was "nervous" about stripping off for the shots.

He said: "I was really nervous because I knew my mother was going to see it. When the adverts came out, she was the first one to call me and say, 'What are you doing?' I tried explaining it to her, but she didn't really get it!"