{"id":267349,"date":"2025-11-05T17:30:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T06:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.russh.com\/?p=267349"},"modified":"2025-12-03T13:47:48","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T02:47:48","slug":"em-stenberg-paspaley-cicada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.russh.com\/em-stenberg-paspaley-cicada\/","title":{"rendered":"Model Em Stenberg on memory and metamorphosis"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Australian model Em Stenberg, home isn\u2019t just a place, it\u2019s a feeling \u2013 and sometimes, it\u2019s found in the scent of sizzling street food. \u201cIn Darwin, NT,<\/a> there\u2019s a place called Nightcliff Markets,\u201d she recalls fondly. \u201cIn my opinion that\u2019s where the best food in the world is. When I was younger my family and I would go every weekend \u2013 we\u2019d only get a few things but the Asian Aunties wouldn\u2019t let us leave without bags of free food.\u201d That memory, equal parts generosity and flavour, remains a grounding touchstone for the rising model whose career has taken her far beyond her hometown.<\/p>\n

Stenberg\u2019s mornings these days start not with hawker food but with a far fluffier ritual. \u201cWithout fail, every morning my kitten, Cashew, wakes me up around 4 or 5am.\u201d It\u2019s a simple routine, but in the fast-paced world of fashion, small constants can feel like luxuries. Five years ago, Stenberg embarked on what she describes as her true beginning. Leaving Darwin, she settled in Sydney, where the city\u2019s energy and openness welcomed her instantly. \u201cI never fit in in Darwin but when I moved down I was embraced by my agents, other models and Sydney locals,\u201d she explains. The move was more than geographic \u2013 it was transformative. \u201cDefinitely when I moved to Sydney, that felt like a fresh start.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Left: WYNN HAMLYN top; L’IDEE top (worn as skirt); PASPALEY earrings and necklace. Right: stylist’s own top and bodysuit; PASPALEY earrings and rings.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s fitting, then, that she fronts our shoot with Paspaley for their Blushing Cicada series<\/a>, a jewellery line that celebrates renewal, transformation, and the delicate beauty of nature\u2019s cycles. Just as cicadas shed their skins to begin anew, Stenberg embraced reinvention in Sydney, blossoming into her career with a newfound sense of belonging. The series itself is a masterclass in craftsmanship and storytelling. Inspired by the cicada \u2013 a creature symbolic of transformation \u2013 the designs play with light and motion. Stenberg admits one piece, in particular, left her entranced. \u201cThe earrings had wings that you could open and close, and they were absolutely breathtaking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Styling such bold, luminous jewellery requires restraint, she believes. \u201cThe Paspaley series is so gorgeous on its own. I would probably style it with something neutral in colour and strapless \u2013 having the jewellery the main part of the look.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite her high-fashion work, Stenberg\u2019s day-to-day style is joyfully eclectic. \u201cA lot of my style is inspired by South Asian style. When I\u2019m dressing up, more Japanese\/Chinese street style<\/a>. But in my everyday life, I dress like an 80-year-old Thai Aunty \u2013 just because most of my clothes are from my 80-year-old Thai aunty,\u201d she laughs. That playful mix of heritage, humour, and individuality shines through.<\/p>\n

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Left: stylist’s own top; PASPALEY earrings and necklaces. Right: stylist own bodysuit; TRIANGL swimsuit top; PASPALEY earrings and necklaces.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When asked about her favourite escapes, her answer is as clear: \u201cthe seaside, I need the sea to survive.\u201d But for comfort, she often turns to film, with Fantastic Mr. Fox<\/em><\/a> holding a special place in her heart, though she admits \u201cany movie by A24 is a yes from me.\u201d Her friends, she says, would sum her up in three words: \u201csilly, weird, and a bit impulsive.\u201d Yet it\u2019s exactly that mix of whimsy and openness that makes her such a perfect wearer of the Blushing Cicada series. Much like the series itself, Stenberg embodies change, resilience, and an appreciation for beauty found in both memory and metamorphosis.<\/p>\n

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Paspaley’s Blushing Cicada series is available in-boutiques and from the Paspaley website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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PHOTOGRAPHY Jake Terrey @ Hart & Co.<\/small><\/p>\n

FASHION Hannah Cooper<\/small><\/p>\n

MODEL Em Stenberg @ IMG<\/small><\/p>\n

HAIR Darren Summors @ AP\u2014REPS<\/small><\/p>\n

MAKEUP Cherry Cheung @ Vivien’s Creative<\/small><\/p>\n

STYLIST’S ASSISTANT Koby Dulac-Daley<\/small><\/p>\n

CREATIVE STUDIO & CAMPAIGNS MANAGER Olivia Repaci\u00a0<\/small><\/p>\n

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