Lily Cole is the new face of Marks & Spencer

Flame-haired model Lily Cole will be the new face of Marks & Spencer, the store announced today.

The 19-year-old posed for the cameras today in her new role and she was joined by the chain's chief executive, Stuart Rose, for the launch of the spring-summer 2008 collection.

Cole will be the exclusive face of the new M&S Limited Collection, which goes on sale from January.

New face: Lily Cole models the new collection

She will also feature in an advertising campaign next year alongside the other M&S leading ladies - Erin O'Connor, Twiggy, Myleene Klass, and Noemie Lenoir.

Marketing director Steve Sharp said: "We are thrilled that Lily has joined us as the face of Limited Collection. Her striking beauty goes without saying and her commitment to environmental issues makes for a great partnership with M&S."

Cole started a degree course at Cambridge University in October and is said to be scaling back her modelling work.

The teenager recently wrote the foreword for Tamsin Blanchard's book Green Is The New Black.

Teenage beauty: Lily Cole poses for the cameras

Key features of the new M&S womenswear range include Techno Craft designs, which feature deep colours and tribal prints.

Ankle-length maxi suits, fitted macs and tailored casualwear also appear in the range.

M&S is pushing into prettier styles of women's jeans. Its new collection includes silver denim, skinny jeans, wide-legged jeans and super-short shorts.

A spokeswoman for the chain said: "On the fashion front, we have always had a jean collection, but actually having more up-to-the-moment fashion, with silver denims, high waisted, and the short shorts, is quite new for us."

M&S production: Antonio Banderas stars with Christmas Belles (clockwise) Twiggy, Laura Bailey, Lizzy Jagger, Erin O'Connor and Noemie Lenoir

Lily Cole

Shiver my timbers! Lily Cole reveals her Pirates of the Caribbean chic

Legendary designer Jean Paul Gaultier seemed to take inspiration from the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean for his spring/summer collection in Paris last night.

Lily Cole in revealing pirate chic

He created swashbuckling outfits with breeches, corsets and braided jackets in camouflage colours. Accessories included wide leather belts, fingerless gloves and tricorn hats.

It was in direct contrast to Gautier's haloed ethereal models who glided down the catwalk as part of the same collection. This time they stomped down in worn leather boots.

Lily Cole wore an outfit similar to Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Carribean

The finale featured thirteen pirate brides in white lace, silk and leather with veils trailing from their pirate hats.

So dust off your eye patches now because pirate chic is set to be huge next year!

Lily Cole

Lily's the belle of St Trinian's

Lily Cole has joined the ranks of naughty schoolgirls with a role in the new 'St. Trinian's' film.

The 18-year-old model, who's due to take a place at Cambridge University soon, has added acting to her growing list of credentials.

Lily Cole takes a break from the catwalk to star as a schoolgirl in the new comedy, 'St. Trinian's'

Cole, along with dozens of other girls, were out-and-about in London's West End filming scenes earlier today.

The movie is set in a school for 'young ladies' where an anarchic doctrine of free expression runs riot.

St Trinian's is a school for 'young ladies' with its anarchic doctrine of free expression

The girls misbehaving in Trafalgar Square

School's out

Also joining the starry cast are Rupert Everett, Emily Watson, Russell Brand, Stephen Fry and Amy Winehouse.

The Brit-winning singer has admitted to being a disruptive pupil and was expelled from stage school at the age of 16.

Actor Rupert Everett will be putting young school girls in their place

While Everett will undoubtedly be hamming it up as Miss Tritton, the straight guy will be played by that other British gent, Colin Firth (Hugh Grant is the third member of this well-loved triumvirate of upper class charmers).

The dashing Colin Firth plays Geoffrey Thwaites

It's been 23 years since Firth made his first big screen debut, incidentally opposite Everett, in 'Another Country'.

Since then, the two have appeared in several other films together including the Oscar-winning 'Shakespeare in Love'.

Lily Cole