Valentino wanted to celebrate Zendaya as a person and not a model for their latest campaign.

The Italian fashion house's creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli has highlighted the importance of showcasing the 24-year-old's "whole identity", as the 'Malcolm & Marie' star shares the same values as the brand.

He told WWD: “This is why I chose her, for all that she represents. Throughout an aesthetic choice, it is possible to represent a whole identity. This is the power of fashion and this is the power of human beings.

"I think it’s fundamental to pass strong messages through the identity of a person and Zendaya perfectly represents the values that I want Valentino to stand for, such as equality and inclusivity. I chose Zendaya as a person, for what she stands for, and not as a model.”

Zendaya was photographed by David Sims at the Palace Theatre in Los Angeles for the Roman Palazzo shoot.

Piccioli said of the snaps: “I like her strong self-awareness, which is conveyed in the images, which are more powerful than words."

The 54-year-old designer specifically chose David Sims for the job, as he was behind the camera for his Rockstud campaign and the first Valentino ads when Piccioli was named create director back in 2016.

He added: “He was there in significant moments for the brand and for myself and this is another moment of change. Together we can catch the more personal side [of Zendaya].

“These images have an intimate feel, emphasized by the fact that they are in black and white. I did not want a fashion photo but a portrait of a new generation that would represent the new Valentino values.”