It was the bright and bold knitwear label that rose to fame for it’s often controversial advertising campaigns.

From the shocking images of a man dying of AIDS in the 1990s to 2011’s offering of two world leaders kissing each other, United Colours of Benetton’s campaigns over the years have been as bold as their sweaters.

But their spring/summer 13 campaign featuring nine of fashion’s most iconic faces hits all the right notes.

The brand hand-picked nine ‘trendsetters’ to illustrate United Colors of Benetton’s passion, innovation and openness to the world.

And the stars of their colourful campaign, which was developed under the creative direction of Fabrica and Macs Lotti, reads like a roll call of fashion’s hottest faces.

 

There is 5ft 7 California girl Charlotte Free in all her pink-haired glory, Givenchy’s transsexual model-of-the-moment Lea T as well as Dudley O’Shaughnessy, the Hackney born boxer who found fame as Rihanna’s on-screen (and off screen) lover in her raunchy We Found Love video.

The campaign also features actress Kiera Chaplin, who is the grand-daughter of legendary filmmaker Charlie, model Elettra Wiedemann, Tunisian Pirelli Calendar model Hanaa Ben Abdesslem, South Sudanese model Alek Wek, and Uruguayan chef and German model Mario Galla.

 

In the campaign video, which was shot in Paris, Chairman Alessandro Benetton asks the model ‘ambassadors’ to discuss their interpretation of colour and the label maintain that this campaign breaks new ground for the Benetton Group brand.

Chairman Alessandro Benetton said: ‘[The campaign] focuses on the iconic value of color – a founding value for United Colors of Benetton and once again at the centre of our aesthetics and communications – to give a powerful assertion of the identity and excellence of this brand, which holds diversity as a value, and the unity of differences as a wealth to be treasured.’

A limited edition T-shirt with images from the campaign will be sold online and in flagship United Colors of Benetton stores to raise proceeds for the UNHATE Foundation, an initiative created by the retailer to fight discrimination of all forms.