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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Gemma Ward’s favourite film director Ingmar Bergman produced a Swedish movie titled Persona in 1966. Its premise revolves around a young nurse who is put in charge of a famous mute actress, and who suddenly finds their personalities melding together. “A movement of the minds”, is how the New York Times described the compelling offering back in the mid-60s.
This week, at the opening of Chaumet’s beautiful Sydney flagship boutique at 181 Pitt, the 35-year-old Australian supermodel and actress – resplendent in a baby blue Bianca Spender – talks about her love for the film, and similarly, the changing mindset of her own persona when wearing high jewellery on the most coveted red carpets in the world: Cannes, Venice, New York, the list goes on.
“High jewellery always puts you in the state of mind of elegance, grace, opulence and glamour,” Ward tells GRAZIA. “It can transform how you feel in the moment on the red carpet.”
The French Maison, a Parisian jeweller since 1780, has indeed had an enduring relationship with the cinema and iconic moments at film premieres (remember our rendezvous on the Riviera with Coco Rocha at the Cannes Film Festival in May of 2022?). This evening Ward is wearing pieces from Chaumet’s regal Joséphine Valse Impériale collection, which was created to represent the many facets of the Empress’ personality and the splendour of the royal festivities she partook in with her husband, Napoleon I, at the French imperial court. Joséphine was also the first major client of the Maison.
“These are pieces created in the Empress of France’s name and in an ode to her modern style,” says Ward moving ever so slightly so as to catch the light on the delicate waltz of diamonds around her neck. The supermodel is also showing me her spectacular rings and bracelets, but it is her earrings that I am most drawn to: white gold, set with six certified pear-shaped diamonds for 3.69 carats in total and 38 pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds from 2.28 carats.
Chaumet JOSÉPHINE VALSE IMPÉRIALE EARRINGS, POA, SHOP NOW
Slinking through the store – ever so tall and elegant – Ward is embodying all that Joséphine was: a sophisticated and timeless fashion icon. Bergman would have loved this moment.
Read on for our catch-up with Ward on motherhood, modelling and looking back at the lessons she learnt across her illustrious career. And if you’re in Sydney, you must visit Chaumet’s nee flagship at 181 Pitt street, Sydney.
GRAZIA: Jewellery is often gifted to mark an occasion. What has been the most special jewellery piece you’ve received?
GEMMA WARD: I was lucky enough to be gifted a ring with a pink argyle diamond from my partner over the summer. It’s my dream ring!
GRAZIA: From 15-18 years old, your trajectory to ‘It Girl’ was lightning quick. What’s a hard lesson you had to learn fast?
GW: People expect you to be everything and be everywhere and do everything. It’s up to you to set limits and listen to yourself.
GRAZIA: Instagram wasn’t around in those days. How do you think its existence may have changed your experience as a young girl entering the big-time modelling world?
GW: I think I would have felt a lot of pressure to be ‘on’ all the time, and felt it would have been difficult to differentiate between work and real life.
GRAZIA: What was the biggest thing you learnt from taking time away from the industry?
GW: Life is beautiful and people are fascinating.
GRAZIA: Did you have a certain vision of motherhood in your mind? And how has that changed?
GW: I did…I am a bit more relaxed now on my ‘ideal’ parenting situation. Life is complicated and good enough is sometimes good enough!
GRAZIA: Knowing what you know about the fashion/entertainment industry and how it can influence the way one feels about themselves, what would your response be if your children want to go down the modelling path?
GW: I think that to deal with that world and the head spins, you have to be old and mature enough. So, my rule is for my children that if they want to model fulltime and move away from me, they have to be at least 18 years old.
GRAZIA: We have a photo here of you in 2004: 16 years old, sitting in the makeup chair backstage at the Ralph Lauren show in New York City (see next page). What advice would you give that girl about the experiences that lay in front of her?
GW: I honestly don’t know what advice that girl would have listened to! [Laughs.] I wish her to go kindly and gently and with compassion and grace but also strength to endure. Life is long and it’s hard to prepare for the twists and turns of fate, but if you are well-versed in self love, you can cope a lot better.
Explore Chuamet’s new Sydney flagship store at 181 Pitt street, Sydney, NSW, Australia 2000.
