AS THE so-called "Fake Donation-Gate" scandal involving Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi worsens, international brand Emporio Armani has dropped its endorsement deal with Zhang, the Chongqing Economic Times reported last Friday, citing an unnamed source.

The Chinese actress was featured in Armani advertisements last year, noted Xinhua news agency.

She modelled its spring summer collection for last year in posters and other ads.

But such posters have been removed from chain stores in some cities, including Chongqing, said the Economic Times.

The brand's publicist there told the Economic Times that the endorsement contract with Zhang had expired, and denied that any bad press had been the reason for Armani ending the contract.

Zhang has been dogged by gossip since January, in the aftermath of the donation scandal.

She had pledged to aid victims of the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan, China, promising to donate one million yuan (S$204,000) to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation in their aid.

But it came to light that only 840,000 yuan had been donated.

She claimed that she was unaware that there was a shortfall until the Red Cross sent her a receipt for the sum. She donated 160,000 yuan last month to make up for the shortfall.

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