Jamie, za to fotografiranje si izbrala nakit znamke Kirsten Drew Jewellery, ki združuje afriško dediščino, trajnostni luksuz in sodobno estetiko. Kaj te je pri filozofiji te znamke najbolj nagovorilo?
Pri Kirsten Drew Jewellery me je najbolj pritegnilo to, da nakit ne deluje množično proizveden ali podrejen trenutnim trendom. Vsak kos ima svojo globino. Navdušujeta me izdelava in premišljenost oblikovanja – nakit je hkrati sodoben in prefinjen. Zelo skrbno izbiram znamke, s katerimi sodelujem, in všeč mi je, ko ima luksuz vsebino, ne le lep videz. Nekaj posebnega je v nošenju nakita, ki je povezan s kulturo, umetnostjo in trajnostjo.
Omenila si, da ima vsak kos svojo zgodbo. Ali nakit dojemaš kot nekaj več kot le modni dodatek – kot spomin, simbol ali celo čustveno sidro?
Vsekakor. Zame nakit nikoli ni bil zgolj dodatek. Kosi, ki jih nosimo, se pogosto povežejo z določenimi obdobji našega življenja, čustvi, odnosi in spomini. Še danes se spomnim nakita, ki ga povezujem s pomembnimi mejniki, dosežki ali trenutki osebne rasti. Zato me privlačijo brezčasni kosi, ne minljivi trendi. Nakit lahko postane čustveno sidro – kot zgodba, ki jo nosimo s seboj. V sebi nosi energijo, spomine in identiteto.
Če bi morala vzdušje tega fotografiranja opisati s tremi besedami, katere bi izbrala – in zakaj?
Vzdušje bi opisala kot duhovno, prizemljeno in filmsko. Fotografiranje v Reset Hotel v Joshua Tree je celotni izkušnji dalo posebno globino, saj ima ta lokacija mirno, skoraj meditativno energijo. V puščavi je nekaj, kar odstrani vse motnje in človeka ponovno poveže s samim seboj.
V zadnjih letih se vse več govori o etičnem luksuzu. Kako pomembno se ti zdi, da modne in nakitne znamke podpirajo trajnostno proizvodnjo in etično pridobljene materiale?
Že ime »Reset« se je popolnoma ujemalo z občutkom tega fotografiranja. Ni šlo za hitenje pri ustvarjanju vsebin, temveč za popolno prisotnost – ustvarjalno, čustveno in mentalno. Vzdušje je bilo hkrati umirjeno in močno, in mislim, da se ta energija naravno odraža tudi na fotografijah.
Etični luksuz mi veliko pomeni. Potrošniki postajajo vse bolj ozaveščeni in verjamem, da imajo znamke možnost, da rastejo skupaj s to zavestjo. Ali bi moral luksuz nastajati na račun ljudi ali okolja? To je pomembno vprašanje. Ko veš, da blagovna znamka spoštuje etično pridobivanje materialov, trajnost in vrhunsko izdelavo, dobi izdelek dodatno vrednost. Izkušnja se tako spremeni iz nakupa nečesa lepega v podporo nečemu premišljenemu in odgovornemu.
Modo dojemaš ne le vizualno, temveč tudi konceptualno – skozi razpoloženje, energijo in pripoved. Kaj ti pomaga ohranjati ravnovesje med ranljivostjo in notranjo močjo, tako v življenju kot pred kamero?
Mislim, da to ravnovesje izhaja predvsem iz življenjskih izkušenj. Zgodnja samostojnost, vzgoja otrok, gradnja kariere in soočanje z javno podobo – vse to me je oblikovalo. Ranljivost in moč zame nista več nasprotji, temveč sobivata. Najmočnejši ljudje so pogosto tisti, ki so doživeli težke preizkušnje in se kljub temu odločijo za mehkobo, ustvarjalnost in odprtost.
Pred kamero ne poskušam uprizarjati popolnosti. Bolj se osredotočam na čustva, prisotnost in pripoved. Moda postane veliko močnejša, ko za njo stoji resnična energija. Ljudje se z avtentičnostjo povežejo mnogo bolj kot z brezhibnimi podobami.
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Jamie Villamor: The essence of style
Jamie, for this shoot you chose jewelry by Kirsten Drew Jewellery – a brand that blends African heritage, sustainable luxury, and contemporary aesthetics. What particularly resonated with you about the philosophy behind this jewelry house?
What really drew me to Kirsten Drew Jewellery was that it didn’t feel mass-produced or overly trend-chasing. Every piece has depth to it. I love the craftsmanship, and intention in the designs, it’s modern and elevated at the same time. I’m very selective with the brands I align myself with, and I love when luxury has substance behind it not just aesthetics. There’s something powerful about wearing jewelry that feels connected to culture, artistry, and sustainability.
You mentioned that every piece feels like it carries a story. Do you personally see jewelry as something more than just an accessory – perhaps as a memory, a symbol, or even an emotional anchor?
Absolutely. To me, jewelry has never just been about accessorizing. The pieces we wear often become tied to chapters of our lives, emotions, relationships, and memories. I still remember certain jewelry pieces tied to milestones, accomplishments, or even moments of personal growth. That’s why I gravitate toward timeless pieces instead of disposable trends. Jewelry can become an emotional anchor almost like wearable storytelling. It carries energy, memories, and identity with it.
If you had to describe the atmosphere of this shoot in just three words, what would they be – and why those particular words?
I’d describe the atmosphere of this shoot as soulful, grounding, and cinematic. Shooting at Reset Hotel in Joshua Tree added so much depth to the experience because the location itself has this quiet, almost spiritual energy to it. There’s something about the desert that strips away distraction and reconnects you to yourself.
There is growing conversation around ethical luxury – the idea of responsibility within luxury. How important is it to you that fashion and jewelry brands support sustainable production and ethically sourced materials?
The name “Reset” honestly aligned perfectly with the feeling of the shoot. It felt less like rushing through content creation and more like being fully present creatively, emotionally, and mentally. The atmosphere was peaceful but powerful at the same time, and I think that energy naturally translated into the images. Ethical luxury matters to me. I see consumers are becoming more conscious, and I think brands have a the choice to evolve with that awareness. Should Luxury come at the expense of people or the environment? That’s a great question.. Knowing that a brand values ethical sourcing, sustainability, and craftsmanship adds meaning to what you’re wearing. It can change the experience from simply buying something beautiful to supporting something intentional and responsible.
You approach fashion not only visually, but conceptually – through mood, energy, and storytelling. What helps you maintain the balance between vulnerability and inner strength, both in life and in front of the camera?
I think that balance comes from life experience more than anything. Becoming independent at a young age, raising children, building my career, navigating public perception all of those things shaped me. Vulnerability and strength aren’t opposites to me anymore; they actually coexist. The strongest people are usually the ones who have been through difficult things and still choose softness, creativity, and openness. In front of the camera, I try not to “perform perfection.” I focus more on emotion, presence, and storytelling. Fashion becomes more powerful when there’s real energy behind it. People connect to authenticity far more than flawless images.
Bodi: Naked Wardrobe @nakedwardrobe Nakit: Kirsten Drew @kirstendrewjewelry Ličenje: Kim Katunis @makeupbykim Pričeska: Rare Elements Hair @rareelementshair Lokacija: Reset, Joshua Tree @reset.hotel Fotograf: Jon Gray @grayjon Model: Jamie Villamor @jamie_villamor Produkcija: Say Media @say__media
