MANILA, Philippines - Angelina Jolie returns to Cambodia, this time with a Louis Vuitton campaign in tow.
Shot in a country with which the actress has close emotional ties, Jolie traveled there for the first time in 2000 to film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and was overwhelmed by the beauty of its landscapes and the warmth and generosity of its people.
She returned to Cambodia in her role as a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassador, raising awareness of the dangers of landmines, and subsequently adopted her eldest son Maddox from a Cambodian orphanage. In 2005, she was awarded Cambodian citizenship by King Norodom Sihamoni for her humanitarian and conservation work in the country through the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which she established in 2003.
The campaign pictures Angelina Jolie sitting barefoot in a traditional wooden boat in the luxuriant, watery landscape of Siem Reap province. Next to her is a vintage Louis Vuitton Alto holdall in monogram canvas, a bag the actress has owned and loved for many years. The tagline reads: “A single journey can change the course of a life. Cambodia, May 2011.” Jolie’s holdall, which is reported to be six years old, is no longer in production but the label is considering re-editing the tote.
Having described her first encounter with Cambodia as a life-changing experience, Angelina Jolie agreed to be photographed there for Louis Vuitton.
Pietro Beccari, Louis Vuitton executive vice president of marketing and communications, comments: “We are honored that Angelina Jolie agreed to participate in our Core Values campaign, whose central theme of travel as both a physical and emotional journey is one with which she can personally identify. Angelina Jolie is a global star in every sense — not only in her career as an actress, but also in her long-term commitment to international humanitarian issues.” Jolie’s fees for this campaign are being donated to charity.
“People are not used to seeing Angelina in this situation,” Pietro Beccari told WWD. “I like the fact that it’s a real moment. This travel message we give through personal journeys is a fundamental one for the brand.”
A teaser for an exclusive interview with Angelina Jolie is on the Louis Vuitton Journeys website, www.louisvuittonjourneys.com/cambodia. The full interview will go live on July 1. In the interview, the actress is expected to talk about how Cambodia changed her life, making her aware of the plight of third world countries.