


Excerpts from a conversation with Who What Wear about shooting my second Kailis campaignwith the ever-captivating Olympia Valance.
How do you see women incorporating pearls into their wardrobe this summer?
Maximalism’s effect on daywear is probably one of my favourite things. Layering pearls (particularly asymmetrically in the earring department) with easy cottons, linens and denim, or one statement piece with a floaty, floral, frilled dress.
Why do you think Olympia embodies the Kailis woman?
Olympia has such poise, camera presence, and magnetism. She is inherently creative, ambitious and open-minded – all characteristics which lend themselves to a great shoot and a flourishing career, as it happens.
You’re doing a lot more work with motion now, tell us about that?
Film is, somewhat conveniently, an intersection of all my great loves: music, art, movement, design, image-making, story-telling. I find it to be a greater creative challenge than film.
Can you share with us your favourite pearl of wisdom?
My mother has always reminded me to focus on building real skills that will sustain a longer career than those who fake it till they make it, but at the end of the day have no true foundations or substance to their stature. Also, be kind.
You’re always working on amazing projects in the background – can you let us in on what you’ve got coming up next?
I have been working on a short film for the past year that premieres in November, which is a little nerve-wracking, but of course very surreal. I can only imagine what it would be like to be baring your soul on a body of work as massive as say, a feature film, that is years and years in the making.
DIRECTOR MARGARET ZHANG
STARRING OLYMPIA VALANCE
DOP BROOKE JAMES
ASSIST IAN TATTON AND ANDY STEVENS
PRODUCER SAMANTHA BENNETTS
HAIR ALAN WHITE
MAKE UP VICTORIA BARON
STYLING MARGARET ZHANG
ASSIST HAYLEY O’NEILL
SOUND BEDE BENJAMIN-KORPORAAL