French fashion house Dior has reappointed Johnny Depp as the face of its men’s fragrance Sauvage for a reported multi-million dollar sum.
Depp, 59, has fronted the brand since 2017 in a then $US5 million deal; however, there was speculation he may have been punted following his recent and highly publicised defamation case against his former wife, Amber Heard.
Depp ultimately won the case in early June and was awarded $US15 million ($A21 million) in damages by the presiding judge.
According to the Business of Fashion, Sauvage is now the biggest selling fragrance in the world, be it men’s or women’s.
Dior halted its Depp-fronted marketing during the defamation trial but immediately restarted it – both outdoor and TVCs – once Depp won the case.
Interestingly, Depp’s Dior campaign was criticised in 2019 for allegedly misappropriating native Indian culture.
And the evidence appears to be the brand has made the right move, with social media largely favourable of the actor and musician’s reappointment.
And maths appear to be in Depp’s and Dior’s favour. During the height of the defamation case – that hogged newspaper headlines across the globe – Dior reported a marked upswing in sales of the men’s fragrance that many pundits put down to as a show of support for the maligned actor.
Meanwhile, others agitated that Dior should’ve parted ways with the Pirates Of The Caribbean star due to allegations of domestic abuse that arose during the trial.
On Monday, the French fashion house shared a series of photos to Instagram featuring monotone stills of Depp before he joined Jeff Beck on stage in Paris, as well as a video of him talking about the cologne.
And it appears social media is on Depp’s side, many people posting their support of the brand for sticking by him. While a minority called out Dior for apparently turning a blind eye to domestic violence allegations.
“This is awesome news!” commented one Instagram user.
The hashtag ‘#ThankYouDior’ is also used in multiple people’s reactions.
Others commented, “Good to see Johnny back!”, “What a come back story!” and “we love you forever”.
Another said, “Well Johnny, it’s wonderful to see you have found your inner tranquility. It’s all in your smile! Welcome back beautiful man!”
“Speechless and great full with DIOR for staying true to Johnny Depp they never doubted his innocence and they always stood firmly by his side,”, “I’m so proud of you John and thank you DIOR,” “Merci Dior, heroes of justice … and style” and “Dior and Johnny! What else is s left to say. The best!!”
