Givenchy has named Nanao as its recent Japan ambassador, marking the primary time the French fashion house has appointed a Japanese actress as a face of the brand, it said.

A model, actress and TV personality, Nanao has starred in a wide range of series and flicks since embarking on her profession in 2009, including motion comedy “Hell’s Garden” and TV show “Ninja ni Kekkon wa Muzukashii,” the story of two ninjas from rival clans who get married without knowing one another’s true identities.

Givenchy creative director Matthew M. Williams praised her attitude. “I actually admire Nanao for her skilled versatility in addition to her personal energy and elegance. She is going to make a great Japan ambassador, and I look ahead to working together,” he said in an announcement.

To mark the announcement, Nanao posed for a series of images shot by her close friend Leslie Kee, a Singaporean photographer based in Japan.

“Givenchy is a timeless brand that elevates me as a girl and an actress. I’m very much looking forward to collaborating with the home on my personal expressions of elegance, which I consider a vital, key theme whether I’m in front of the camera or not,” the actress said.

Nanao’s appointment illustrates the continued importance of the Japanese market. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the parent company of Givenchy, said sales in Japan grew 34 percent in the primary quarter, with the country accounting for 7 percent of its global revenues of 21 billion euros through the three-month period.

Givenchy’s recent appointments have focused on Asia. Earlier this yr, it named Taeyang, a member of the group Big Bang and a solo artist, as brand ambassador, making him the primary South Korean artist to tackle the role.