Lara Stone is joining the elite L'Oreal lineup as the brand's newest spokesperson - and she's definitely worth it, writes Anna Hunter

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Having given birth to her son, Alfred, in May it’s understandable that Lara Stone has been a little off the radar. She’s barely halfway through her statutory maternity leave (yes, I looked this up) yet it appears that, behind her low profile, she has been working on something very exciting indeed. We knew this all along, but now the sublime Ms Stone is officially ‘worth it’.

Yesterday it was revealed that the new mother and distinguished model is to become a new global spokesperson for the brand, showcasing future product innovations in several categories including make-up, haircare and hair colour. It’s fair to say that she’s returning to work with a bang…

The iconic gap-toothed beauty has previously fronted cosmetic and fragrance campaigns for Calvin Klein and Tom Ford, not to mention having walked the catwalk for the globe’s most prestigious designers and featured in many an international glossy. Calvin Klein adores her ‘X-rated lips’, Riccardo Tisci ‘fell in love’ upon meeting her and former Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld dedicated an entire issue of the magazine to her. She also features consistently in the top earning models list by Forbes magazine. Put simply, Lara is well on her way to becoming a legend.

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Despite Stone’s spectacular success, even she is a little starstruck by her latest gig, disclosing that ‘it wasn’t really anything I ever expected to happen in my career’. For L’Oréal  however, hiring Lara was a no-brainer, as Global Brand President Cyril Chapuy underlined:

“Her rebellious, edgy sensual beauty has made her so strong and successful. Yet, she remains incredibly genuine, true, sensitive and super fun. I love her iconoclastic style and the way she distinguished herself on every single Fashion show she walked for. We are thrilled to welcome this exceptional woman and young mother to our brand.”

Lara is equally elated to be welcomed into the L’Oréal famille:

“I am so flattered to join L’Oréal Paris. Getting the chance to say “You’re worth it” to women around the world is a great honour. L’Oréal Paris is a brand that has always understood that beauty and personality go hand in hand. I totally identify myself to the Brand values considering my own history and career. Beauty is something you invent for yourself. It’s a powerful way of claiming who you really are.”

She may have been described as an ‘anti-model’, she may not fit a standard catwalk shoe (her feet are too small) and she may be curvier than your average runway girl, but it’s these unconventional characteristics (in the modeling world at least) that define her appeal. She’s not average, she’s awesome, and she’s taking her place in a formidable L’Oréal line-up that includes Beyoncé Knowles, Julianne Moore, Jane Fonda, Eva Longoria, Doutzen Kroes, Laetitia Casta, Freida Pinto, Jennifer Lopez, Claudia Schiffer… the power-player list is extensive. Lara’s hit the big league.