Effortless by Nature: Aquila Bergstrom on Her Signature Atlas Look
From coastal luxury to her signature Atlas look, Aquila Bergstrom shares how pearls have become the quiet through line of her personal style, and why no other gemstone quite compares.
Q. Describe your personal style.
My personal style has always been a mix of natural fibres, classic yet feminine cuts, and coastal luxury. I like pieces that can move from a beach day to an aperitivo without feeling overdone. I love jewellery that feels elegant but not overly perfect, the kind of piece that can be worn with swimwear, a silk slip dress, gold jewellery, or a cute day bag. Pearls fit into that so easily because they can elevate whatever they are worn with. It is an understated elegance, so to speak.
Q. What is your signature Atlas look?
The Atlas pieces I find myself returning to are the ones that feel effortless. They are the kind of pieces you can put on in the morning and forget you are wearing, yet somehow, they make everything feel more put together. If there is a day where I feel I might look dull, or about a week late for an enzyme facial, I will wear my gold pearl earrings to bring life back to my face. Surely this is relatable, haha!
Q. What makes you prefer pearls over other gemstones?
Unlike stones that are cut and polished into brilliance, pearls already have their own glow. Their beauty feels organic rather than forced, and I love that every pearl is unique. After seeing Atlas Pungu Island pearl farm, I found myself valuing their individuality even more. Each one has its own surface, lustre, shape, and character. They are not identical objects stamped out of a mould, they are grown in water, shaped by living systems, and brought into the world through a process that is both delicate and unpredictable.
There is a real romance in knowing that something you wear close to your skin began in the ocean. The idyllic waters off Pungu Island are now part of how I understand my Atlas pieces. When I wear them, I think of the remoteness, the light, the pristine water, and the feeling of being somewhere completely connected to the rhythm of nature. That connection has changed my relationship with ownership. When you know where something comes from, you become more careful with it. You value it differently because it is no longer just about the object itself, but about the chain of relationships that brought it to you. Maybe that is why pearls endure; they carry both elegance and origin. They are refined, yet so timeless they can be worn casually or ceremonially, every day or for a lifetime.
That knowledge has made them more special to me, and in many ways, more beautiful. Once you have seen where a pearl begins, you never really wear it the same way again. I suppose that is why pearls will always be my jewel of choice.
Aquila Bergstrom is a model and archaeologist with a lifelong love of the sea. Read about her visit to our farm at Pungu Island or follow her journey at@paradisefound and www.aquilabergstrom.com.
