GUESS has announced Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni as the face of its Spring/Summer 2026 global advertising campaign, marking her first major fashion partnership since a Milan court cleared her of fraud charges on January 14, 2026.

The campaign represents Ferragni’s return to GUESS nearly 13 years after her first collaboration with the brand. The Morelli Brothers photographed the campaign, which launches globally in February 2026 across print, digital, and social media platforms.

“We’re thrilled to have Chiara Ferragni as the face of our new campaign,” Paul Marciano, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of GUESS, said in a press release. “Her energy, authenticity, and unmistakable style perfectly embody the GUESS woman and the spirit of our Spring/Summer 2026 collection, confident looks that are versatile, refined, and unmistakably contemporary.”

The campaign alternates between black-and-white and color imagery, evoking GUESS’s previous campaigns while adopting a modern, social-first approach, according to the press release. Featured pieces include the Bellflower Pants, the bandage dress, and the Camden Bag, which the brand positions as the season’s “IT” accessory.

“It is a total honor for me to work with GUESS again, almost 13 years after our first collaboration,” Ferragni said. “This project was much more than a campaign: it came in a moment when I felt the need to start again, to tell my story as who I am today, a more aware and serene person. Working with an iconic brand like GUESS, which has made fashion history, made me feel welcomed and free to express all my facets.”

Legal Background and Acquittal

Milan prosecutors had requested a 20-month prison sentence for Ferragni during a November 2025 hearing in a trial dubbed “Pandorogate.” 

The charges centered on the influencer’s promotion of a limited-edition pandoro cake produced by Italian confectionery company Balocco in 2022, in which inflated prices were intended to support children’s medical treatment at Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital in Turin.

Italy’s antitrust authority fined Ferragni more than €1 million in December 2023 for “unfair commercial practices” related to the branded pandoro cake. The Italian Competition Authority claimed that messaging on packaging and social media accounts suggested each cake purchase would benefit the hospital, even though Balocco made a single €50,000 donation to the institution.

Ferragni paid €3.4 million to settle investigations into various charitable donations by the end of 2024. The settlements included a €1 million hospital payment, a €1 million regulatory fine, and €1.2 million to “I Bambini delle Fate,” an association that helps children with autism, to resolve an antitrust case over Ferragni-branded Easter eggs.

Brand and Business Impact

The scandal affected Ferragni’s social media presence and business empire, which spanned beauty, licensing, and fashion. Her marriage to rapper Fedez collapsed under public scrutiny.

In May 2024, Ferragni’s company issued a statement promising to “refrain from carrying out operations in which commercial activities are connected to charitable activities.”

Ferragni gained prominence through a fashion blog launched in 2009 and became the first fashion blogger featured on Vogue’s cover in 2015.

Checkout Our Latest Podcast