The moon is a force all of her own; shining even when there is no light to be found. She's a power to be reckoned with; a tidal force pushing and pulling, waxing and waning at will. Even when she threatens to disappear altogether, her energy holds true.
It is this power and cyclical nature that inspired the latest pearl-led collection from Australian fine jewellers Paspaley. Their 'Moonlight' collection and accompanying campaign starring Australian-born, British-raised actress Leila George pays homage to the many phases of the moon, and the relationship it shares with the waves below.
“I feel honoured to have been invited to play muse to Paspaley for a second campaign," said George. "Shooting my first campaign with them just over a year ago was one of the most adventurous experiences of my life. Having the opportunity to do it all over again in a new location, a new adventure was another once in a lifetime experience."
"The new collection Moonlight is inspired by the lunar connection between the moon and the tides. As a woman I feel particularly in line with this natural, magical phenomenon, so I loved being able to represent and embody that... Whilst wearing the most beautiful pearls in the world."
For Paspaley, the ocean has always been an integral part of their story; a story which began more than 80 years ago, in the 1920s, when Nicholas Paspaley first collected mother-of-pearl shell in the northern waters of Australia. Now one of the world's leading South Sea pearling companies, the family business is continuing Nicholas's quest to discover the rarest and most valuable pearls in the world. For them, this had led them to the Kimberley region of Western Australia, where they nurture pearls across a remote network of farms that stretch more than 2,500km off the north-west coast.
In keeping with their history, they're also one of the few companies to still dive for wild pearl oysters, positioning themselves at the very fore of the pearling industry for the greater part of the last century.
Connecting with this special landscape, and the birthplace of Paspaley pearls, we see Leila George, lensed by Nick Leary, on the pristine and moonlit Western Australian coast, close to Roebuck Bay. Like a staircase leading to the moon, lunar reflections and the tide are connected – the inspiration for the Paspaley 'Moonlight' collection, and an energy George draws upon to reconnect with herself; simultaneously looking upward and inward.
