When Black Panther: Wakanda Forever makes its big debut next month, Lupita Nyong’o—who plays Nakia, a Wakandan spy—will need plenty of gowns and jewelry for her various red carpet premieres. So, you could say her new role as De Beers’ first global ambassador is perfectly timed. Nyong’o stars in the fine jewelry label’s new “Where It Begins” campaign, releasing today.
The actor says she was drawn to working with the brand specifically for its Building Forever project, which has goals to engage 10,000 girls in STEM, support 10,000 women entrepreneurs, and to invest at least $10 million across southern Africa by 2030. “Their focus on creating opportunities for women and girls in southern Africa is an effort clearly very close to my heart,” says Nyong’o. In the past, the star has been involved in various philanthropy work across the continent. She has worked with Mother Health International (MHI), a nonprofit organization in Uganda that provides healthcare to pregnant women in underdeveloped countries, as well as with the Kenya-based African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and WildAid, to combat elephant poaching.
In the new campaign, Nyong’o sport pieces from the label’s Enchanted Lotus collection, including a variety of 18-karat white gold pieces. Having worn De Beers jewelry on the red carpet before, Nyong’o sees herself wearing its elegant accessories for her upcoming press tour. “I love some of the brand’s iconic collections like the Talisman that incorporates rough diamonds as they’re found in nature, which makes it delightfully unique,” says Nyong’o. The star is no stranger to loving and collecting jewelry in general; She gravitates towards classic, wearable pieces for everyday use. “I typically wear a chunky ring or a yellow gold hoop earring in my daily life,” says the actor. “I am a creature of habit, so once I find something that I love, I will wear it all of the time.”
Source: Vouge