“It's sexy, it's dark, it's fast”: Emma Ellingsen fronts Pearl Octopuss.y’s most cinematic campaign yet

As one of Norway’s most booked and busiest models, very little could get a visceral reaction out of 24-year-old Emma Ellingsen on set, yet Pearl Octopuss.y’s latest campaign staging managed to do just that. “I gasped when I saw the car,” Ellingsen says, referring to the vintage Porsche that serves as the supporting act to her as the main character in Pearl Octopuss.y's new campaign.

Lately, Ellingsen has been everywhere: walking major runways, taking a turn (or rather, a twirl) on Dancing With the Stars Norway (the first trans woman to compete), and cementing her place as one of the country’s most in-demand models. For Pearl Octopuss.y’s founder and creative director, Cathrine Børter, however, Ellingsen’s appeal was evident long ago. The two have worked together across several seasons, with Ellingsen walking the brand’s runway on multiple occasions before stepping up to front this campaign.

The admiration is mutual. Ellingsen has long been a fan of Pearl Octopussy. “I remember being in high school when all anyone wanted was jewellery from Pearl Octopussy,” she says. “If I had known then that I’d be in their campaign one day, I would have screamed.”

The shoot captures Ellingsen styled in sculptural, glitzy brooches, pearl-heavy jewellery and strong silhouettes, set against concrete backdrops and the clean lines of a champagne-hued ’70s Porsche Carrera. “When I model, I usually try to give a bit of everything emotionally,” Ellingsen says. “But for this shoot, I really wanted it to feel mysterious, confident and in the moment.”

In doing so, Ellingsen nailed the brief from Børter, who was keen to build a universe inspired by the 2011 cult film Drive – drawn to the contrast between speed and stillness, and the tension that exists between the two. “I keep like returning to the music from the movie and wanted create something like super like cinematic and mythical and mystic around the the shoot,” she says. “it's sexy, it's dark, it''s fast. It's something that we haven't done before.”

Several of the pieces seen in the campaign debuted at Pearl Octopuss.y’s August runway show at Oslo Runway, staged at the Munch Museum – where the brand was also awarded the Norwegian fashion week's prestigious Tribute Award. For the campaign, those designs are reintroduced in a different setting and context. “We wanted to show the pieces in a new space, with a new feeling,” Børter says. “Something bolder and more eccentric, and to show Emma in a new way as well.”

Throughout the shoot, jewellery is styled in unexpected ways. Brooches appear away from the lapel, necklaces are wrapped around wrists and ankles, and huge shoe brooches pinned to towering, patent leather knee-high boots. “It’s about showing how the pieces can transform an outfit,” Børter explains. “You don’t have to use them in the obvious way.” Elsewhere, more offbeat delights: a sparkling silver woven cape draped over a dove-blue suit, a crystal-embellished pillbox hat. The campaign also explores a more androgynous side of Ellingsen’s look, something Børter was keen to highlight. “Emma is so elastic in her looks,” she says. “As a model, she can go very feminine or very dark, she surprises us every time we work with her.”

Ellingsen – who dyed her eyebrows for the job – raves about the “spontaneous and fun” shoot experience, calling out her love of the brooches especially, and the aforementioned cape. “I love how Cathrine's mind works when it comes to putting it all together and styling it,” she says.

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For Ellingsen, the campaign lands at the end of a busy and defining year. One clear high point was walking the Conner Ives show during London Fashion Week – a milestone she describes as particularly meaningful. “Being able to walk for a designer who is such a strong supporter of the trans community was a big honour,” she says. “Conner is an amazing designer, so that was a really special moment for me."

There were low points too, with Ellingsen candidly charing that being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes was one of them. “But even with that,” she adds, “I can still look back on 2025 and say it’s been one of the best years of my life.” Looking ahead, her focus is on continuity rather than change. “I just hope I can keep going on the path I’m on – with modelling, social media and creative work. I can’t wait for 2026.”

For Pearl Octopuss.y, the campaign also marks the close of what Børter describes as a year of transformation. “We’ve done a lot of introspective work,” she says. “It’s been a tough year, growth can be painful. But we’re leaving it much stronger than we entered.”

That clarity has reinforced the brand’s commitment to consistency over constant reinvention. “The only way to create a long-lasting brand is to stay true to ourselves,” Børter continues. “We want to keep saying what we want to say, with our signature, again and again. To be recognisable, and not change all the time. In a world that’s spinning faster and faster, we’re trying to stand still.”

Below, see the vintage Porsche, top model and Pearl Octopuss.y’s jewellery in front of the lens.