Mariano Rivera Signs With Canali Clothing as Ad Model

By Lynn Russo Whylly, allvoices - Italian clothing designer Canali prides itself on 76 years of success and a sense of style that is unmatched. So it was important to the company to find a spokesmodel that fit its distinguished image. They apparently found such a man in the New York Yankees pitcher Mariano RiveraMariano Rivera.

A quiet family man, married with three children, Rivera posed for several photos in March that Canali is using to launch its new collection of men’s business and casual dress clothes in the United States.

The company states on its website: “The decision to choose a sports star as testimonial for the Spring Summer 2010 campaign accentuates the close ties between Canali and the star system, both in Hollywood and elsewhere, where elegance and excellence, style and performance are shared values.”

Born in Panama City, Panama, Rivera honed his baseball pitching skills on the streets of his neighborhood until he was spotted by a New York Yankees talent scout. He made his major League debut in 1995 and since then has become a five-time World Series champion, a five-time winner of the Rolaids Relief Man Award, been selected for the All-Star team 10 times, and received numerous other achievements in his 15-year career, all of which he had played with the Yankees.