U.S. reality television star Kim Kardashian West is teaming up with Israeli Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli to promote sunglasses label Carolina Lemke Berlin as it prepares to enter the American market, the company announced Wednesday.
Refaeli is a co-owner of the company, which until now has focused on Israel and Europe.
Kardashian West, who is married to rapper Kanye West, will work with Refaeli to promote the brand in a campaign set to be released next summer.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Refaeli announced that Kardashian West had signed on to the label.
"Friends & now partners!" Refaeli wrote. "@kimkardashian joined my @carolinalemkeberlin family. Welcome my love."
It was also announced that Kardashian West would visit Israel this coming March within the framework of the new partnership.
The reality TV icon previously visited Israel in 2015, when she, her husband and other members of the Kardashian clan visited the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City to baptize the eldest West child, North.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Refaeli said she personally had called Kardashian West to explain her vision, and then flew to Los Angeles to meet with her.
"I'm very excited," Refaeli said. "We have a new partner on the team, Kim Kardashian, who is now our presenter and partner. Throughout the years I've been with Carolina we've had dreams of going global and we always said we'd take someone with a worldwide name, and her name was mentioned numerous times."
Carolina Lemke Berlin launched in 2011 and has been represented by Refaeli for several years. Refaeli became a business partner in 2013 and reportedly owns 5% of the company.
According to Castro, Carolina Lemke's parent company, Kardashian West will receive 10% of the shares of any company set up in the United States by the brand. Castro also said the brand expects to spend $20 million to $30 million to enter the American market.
