Ashley Park Opens Up About Her Meaningful Connection with Pandora — and Its Diamonds! (Exclusive)
The actress and Pandora's new global ambassador tells PEOPLE how she wants to inspire others to feel good in their jewelry
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Ashley Park for PandoraAshley Park doesn't limit herself when it comes to wearing diamonds.
"I know it's cheesy but diamonds are a girl's best friend," the Joy Ride star, 32, tells PEOPLE exclusively. "They go with everything. You should be able to wear them whenever you want, but it should feel special when you wear them with intention."
Her take on diamonds couldn't align more with her new gig as Pandora's new global brand ambassador, announced on Aug. 9.
“As a storyteller and as an artist, what I love so much about Pandora is that they inspire individuals to bring storytelling into what they wear. Every single one of their pieces has such meaningfulness," Park notes. “They have so many collections that feel really timeless and elegant, but also very approachable and wearable for every day.”
Rasmus Luckmann
Ashley Park for PandoraPark's latest role in the fashion space is fitting for her current stage of life.
"I think people really know me for certain things, and I'm so proud of those aspects of where I come from as an artist. But I'm so excited to explore other avenues of myself and to keep learning, growing and to surprise people — and myself — with what I have to offer," Park shares, adding that her philosophy is very much in tune with Pandora's willingness to think outside of the box. In 2021 world’s largest jewelry brand announced that it was shifting from using mined diamonds to lab-grown ones.
Related: Pamela Anderson and More Stars Shine in Pandora's Campaign for Its New Lab-Grown Diamond Collections
The Only Murders in the Building star says she loves piling on bling (she and her stylist Erin Walsh once stacked six rings on one of her fingers) as well as mixing and matching metals.
Yet, sometimes, she thinks less is more. “Now I travel with one jewelry box, and I usually don't like to take off my staple pieces,” she says.
She turns to Pandora’s lab-grown diamonds for their sparkle (the brand's sustainable diamonds are optically identical to mined ones) and the way they bring out the gold, silver and rose gold finishes.
Her go-tos these days include the brand's bracelets, such as the link chain pieces from the Pandora ME capsule which remind her of elevated streetwear, Pandora's signature sleek bangles and its famous charms, which she recalls from her youth.
Rasmus Luckmann
Ashley Park for PandoraPark admits that she didn't come from "the world of luxury," but she remembers the way Pandora's accessible price point has allowed her to have beautiful high-low pieces with sentimental value over the years.
“My dad got me and my sister Pandora bracelets when I was about to go to middle school and she was still in elementary school,” she shares of the pieces, meant to commemorate the last time the two would be in the same school together.
Through her partnership, she hopes she can inspire others to feel good in their own jewelry too, whether that means "stacking a bunch of pieces or having one charm that's really meaningful."
“It’s exciting that this company is really trying to empower people to figure out their own style," she says. "I love that there's so much variety and creativity.”
She continues: “Jewelry can really be about communion and memories. I really think that feeling empowered by what you buy, what you put on your body and what you present to the world is definitely important.”
Rasmus Luckmann
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Although jewelry goes a long way in making Park shine, there's one other thing that illuminates her inner glow.
“I think I come alive the most when I'm laughing or making other people laugh," she shares. "I think what makes me shine is creating warmth and good energy, really wanting to make people feel their best."
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