When Kate Winslet visited a historic New Jersey movie theater last week, it wasn’t to catch a film; the actress was shooting her first campaign photos as the new face of St. John. The Oscar-winning star was recently tapped to front the American knitwear line — taking over for past models Angelina Jolie and Karen Elson — and did so in a glamorous setting, at Jersey City’s historic Loew’s Theater. “They want to keep it looking like me and not have it look like me pretending to be a model wearing these clothes,” Winslet told WWD the day of the shoot. “I’m obviously not a model. I’m not the size of a model. I don’t have the face of a model or the shape of a model.” What she does have, though, is the timeless beauty the brand was looking for. St. John is using Winslet to help evolve its image, adding looks like silk gowns, leopard print coats and woven pants — plus costume jewelry and handbags — to its usual collections of skirt suits. “To me, it’s fresher than that,” Winslet said. “It seems fresher than that because of the fabrics. They’re extremely delicate, extremely wearable and very flattering. I have worn several of their pieces over the years.” We’ll see just what she’s been wearing in September, when her ads debut in magazines nationwide.

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• Miscellaneous: St. John Ads