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Vanilla Star Unveils 'Smart Girls Rock' Ad Campaign Featuring U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Nastia Liukin

The juxtaposition of sport and fashion unites Vanilla Star's customer base nationally and globally. Vanilla Star tapped Nastia as a global ambassador for the "Smart Girls Rock" campaign because she exemplifies a young woman living her dreams in a high profile and high pressure field while remaining true to herself as role model for young women.

"We love that Nastia is the perfect fit for Vanilla Star like our jeans are for her," says Sandeep Behl, Vanilla Star's CEO, "The grace and class she continues to demonstrate in her performances and in her attitude are a great representation of the values that Vanilla Star stands for."

"I am really excited to be a part of Vanilla Star's 'Smart Girls Rock' ad campaign," says Nastia. "I know what it is like to have a dream in your mind and work as hard as you can to achieve it. I'm just happy I can encourage others to do the same."

"Vanilla Star is proud to embrace an 'anti-jean' company philosophy by opposing the trend of exploiting young teens' bodies in its ads. We always try to find personalities that our core Vanilla Star customer is attracted to and will set a good example for today's impressionable youth market," says Vanilla Star's President, Mark Levy. "We feel that Nastia is special, not only for her amazing skills but as a role model and inspiration to young generations. She's truly living the dream."

Nastia Liukin has taken the "Smart Girls Rock" message to the global stage as a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Women's Gymnastics Team. Nastia leaves Beijing with five medals including one gold, three silvers and one bronze, becoming the third American woman to tie the U.S. record. Her Olympic medal haul bests that of her father, Valeri, who "only" has four. Nastia is a four time World Champion. Nastia's other accolades include: nine-time World medalist, four time US National Champion and has won multiplePacific Rim and American Cup titles. In 2005 she was named Gymnast of the Year by the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and was a nominee in both the World Top 10 Athletes Award and the U.S. Sport's Academy Athlete of the Year Award.

In addition to Vanilla Star, Nastia is sponsored by many major brand names including AT&T, Visa, Adidas, Covergirl and Wheaties, where she will appear on cereal box covers.

Vanilla Star has set its sights on celebrating the positive attributes of young women by allowing them to "live their dream" through the Live The Dream Scholarship, awarded annually to young women to pursue their dreams in academics, fashion, sport and entertainment. Nastia has designed signature T-shirts to promote the campaign with proceeds going to the Vanilla Star Live The Dream Scholarship, sold exclusively on Vanilla Star's official Web site www.vanillastarjeans.com.

The Web site will also launch behind-the-scenes video from Nastia's Vanilla Star photo shoot, along with her exclusive interview at midnight on Thursday, August 28th.

Vanilla Star Jeans is an international company founded in 2002 and based inNew York City. Since then, it has quickly become the jean leader for junior and girls in the U.S., sold at all major department and specialty stores throughout the nation.

SOURCE Vanilla Star Jeans