Michael Evans Behling Discusses Armani Beauty’s GEN A Initiative: ‘It’s A Different Look’

The L’Oréal-owned Italian beauty brand, Armani Beauty, is creating a buzz with a fresh list of talented stars to take the lead over a younger audience as their newest ambassadors for an initiative coined “GEN A.”

The cast is set to represent the brand on a global stage as a new and energetic voice of mindful beauty enthusiasts who believe in individuality, simplicity and authenticity.

GEN A includes Camila Mendes, Lukas Gage, Lili Reinhart, Chase Stokes, Isabela Merced, Maude Apatow, Jonathan Daviss, Lukas Gage and Michael Evans Behling. And each GEN A member has a unique story about how they discovered Armani Beauty. 

“When it first came across the desk, I was like, ‘Armani, get out of here!’ That’s crazy, right?” Michael Evans Behling told Blavity in an exclusive interview. “I’m excited to be with Armani Beauty.”

This purpose-driven journey to include this celebrity ambassador collective means each star, according to Behling, “bring[s] our own…special type of talent to it.”

“If you look at the four young men that are a part of this ‘GEN A,’” the All American actor said, “I think I bring my own kind of fun, young style…which I think that people really enjoy.”

GEN A expands on the long-standing relationship Armani Beauty shares with Giorgio Armani’s lifelong love of cinema. This new troupe of talent — with actors from Riverdale, All American and Euphoria — is also meant to represent an evolution on the part of the brand to target new generations without altering what makes it classic.

“They’re that elite brand that has been consistent for decades,” Behling said.

Speaking exclusively with Vogue Business, Armani Beauty’s global president Veronique Gautier said she believes that Armani Beauty’s new marketing push will appeal to everyday consumers.

“Armani is elegant and timeless. That is the mood around his clothes. He’s consistent but also free; it’s not boring at all,” Gautier said. “The key is to maintain authenticity in our advertising.”

GEN A will also join the brand’s efforts to raise awareness about water scarcity with their long-standing initiative, Acqua for Life, which aims to bring clean water to water-scarce regions. Behling was particularly impressed by Mr. Armani’s passion for “getting fresh water, clean water to various places in the world.”

“That charitable cause to me was… eye-opening. And it feels good to be a part of a brand that is so open and so outspoken about this,” he said.

Since 2010, Acqua for Life has brought clean water to more than 450,000 people. The ultimate goal is for Acqua for Life to be a source of clean water for one million people by 2030.

“And I feel very happy to be a part of a brand that has such a hand in trying to get clean water to the rest of the world, which is something that you and I don’t even think about,” Behling continued.

The unique personalities and star power of this group make them the perfect fit to continue the lasting impact Armani Beauty aims to make in the entertainment and beauty industries, all while appealing to demographics seeking more than the supermodels and celebrities currently tied to the brand.

“I feel like, to a degree, I’m rather relatable to a lot of people, and I think that you need that in a brand, especially a brand of this caliber,” the 27-year-old said.

“I think that people can see themselves in me and I think that’s something that I bring to the brand,” Behling added.