Breaking news: the Adidas NEO Label has appointed global pop phenomenon, singing superstar and focus of rabid online fan devotion Justin Bieber as its style icon.

The singer said, ‘I found a real connection with NEO because it is about fashion, freedom and being true to who you are. . . one of the great ways to showcase yourself is through fashion. For me style is an adventure, something to have fun with and NEO believes this too.’

Hard to argue with that, and the move is definitely canny marketing. The worldwide Belieber community will be thundering into shops to buy clothes endorsed by their hero, and they'll be able to do so at least until the end of 2014.

NEO is a one of Adidas’s portfolio of labels, making men’s and womenswear for a variety of sports, from running, training, swimming, golf and more. One of Justin's predecessors as brand ambassador was ELLE cover star David Beckham.