Text by Charmian Leong | Photos by Greg Williams
When Chopard approached Julia Roberts to be the face of its Happy Sport and Happy Diamonds collections in 2021, the synergy was electrifying. Who better to wear the maison’s joy-inducing jewellery than the cheeriest woman in Hollywood? So enamoured by that sunny smile was Chopard that it has just appointed her the global brand ambassador for all of the brand’s watch and jewellery collections.
To commemorate the renewed partnership, Chopard has enlisted award-winning director James Gray for a 12-part video campaign, and renowned fashion photographer Alasdair McLellan for a series of photos for an advertising campaign. The first of the “Chopard Loves Cinema” videos drops today, on none other than the International Day of Happiness.
“We are revealing a new facet of our identity, the Feel-Good vibe: the self-confidence instilled by Chopard jewellery or watches, reverberating in the air and infusing the entire surrounding universe with positive energy,” says Chopard Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele.
Roberts herself embodies this energy, as the campaign’s teaser video reveals the actress radiating with playfulness and joe de vivre as she kicks off her heels, laughs with the crew, and plays with her dog — these backstage moments captured beautifully by photographer Greg Williams. Chopard’s jewellery truly shines on the jubilant.
Gray, who is known for critically acclaimed films like Little Odessa, The Immigrant, and the recent Armageddon Time that debuted at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, will continue to bring his favoured themes of human relationships and the fleeting nature of memory into the videos, which will be released over the coming months. A champion for the idea of living with dignity and of retaining the essential, Gray expresses these values in the campaign as a complement to the maison’s Feel-Good moments.
“Julia Roberts is that rare thing: a genuine movie star. She also happens to be a person with a tremendous sense of humour about it all, and somehow, she hasn’t let her legendary status go to her head,” he gushes. “I always consider my day made if I’ve made her smile. And the work is always a pleasure, if for no other reason than the fact that the camera is a big fan of Julia’s as I am! Both Julia and Chopard embody a true sense of happiness, so it was a wonderful opportunity to work with them on this campaign.”
McLellan, too, had nothing but praise for the actress. “It’s hard to describe working with Julia without sounding incredibly cliched, but she really was everything I could’ve hoped she’d be,” says the British photographer. Known for a style that features intimate portraits and loved by brands and magazines including Vogue, i-D, Alexander McQueen, Louis Vuitton, and more, McLellan’s campaign photos light up with a sense of well-being and fulfilment. “Editing the shoot was surprisingly difficult, as she looked great in every frame, and it was easy to imagine every image on a billboard.”
