Jessica Melia
- Sep 27, 2020
- 6 min read

Luna, Charles and I.

So, after talking all things Sorrel Price Photography: including fierce friendships, creative collabs, and stunning shots... where is there left to go? What, I hear you cry, is next for this dynamic duo? Is there really enough in this next chapter to fill an entire 5 - 6 minute Sunday Morning scroll kinda blog post?

Simply put: yes there is. Because Sorrel's next chapter is truly out of this world. It's a venture filled with even more fierce friendships (who doesn't love a team of women supporting women), creative collabs (you're gonna sea some gorg content) and as far as stunning shots go, well... brace yourself. I am of course taking about the launch of Sorrel's greatest passion project to date, Luna Charles.

Luna Charles, or LC as it's been affectionately referred to, is an independent fashion brand that are "all about gorgeous accessories you'll never want to take off".

The love child of Laura Millner, Emma O’Reilly and of course our girl, Sorrel, Luna Charles was born on a Sunday morning FaceTime; while chit chatting and catching up, conversation turned to the future and the future very quickly got brighter when these three power houses put their years of industry knowledge together and decided to pave their own path by going it alone.

With "years of experience working for all types of fashion businesses, from small independent, handmade brands to head offices for global fashion houses" these boss women had all the tricks of the trade behind them. And a whole host of plans ahead of them.

They spent months pouring over their stock, their business plans, their site and online presence. They even found the time to invite me to be the face to launch a thousand handbags by becoming the first model of Luna Charles. An honour I am still pinching myself over. (Thanks guys, love ya long time 😭❤.)

Now in all this planning and creating of content, we worked on some incredible studio shoots; of course this wasn't all campaign imagery (the fancy pictures that make the insta grid and the website banners) as we also had to shoot the product imagery (the close up shots of my ear lobes and fingers you've all been perving over) so it was a lengthy process. But a process I'd repeat in a heartbeat: first to see the products? There while naming each gorgeous piece? Being told a favourite necklace of mine would be named, 'Melia'? SIGN. ME. UP.

I mean, I was "working" when we shot this footage; but as I've said before, when you're doing what you love, with people you love, is it even work? You tell me.

But while Sorrel, Laura and Emma were working hard to get everything ready for launch day in early spring 2020, Covid-19 was spreading across the globe and it inadvertently caused a ripple in the LC timeline. Their business savvy meant the ladies quickly found solutions to their admin issues and delivery quandaries and were set to launch pretty much on plan.

Now I could forgive you for being nervous, or even dubious perhaps, for a brand that ended up launching mid-global-pandemic. But trust me friends, those fears aren't warranted.

Luna Charles launched on April 11th and within a month the brand was suppling SilkFred, ASOS Market Place and independent retailer, Bod & Ted. And more recently they began stocking Cult Feed. Strength, to kickass strength.

And why is it they are doing so well? The products speak for themselves:

The Luna Charles ladies are smashing it not only because of the quality of their gorgeous stock and their aspirational, yet accessible branding and social media presence, but also because they are talented in abundance and they've worked like you wouldn't believe (not just on LC, but in the years before this, gaining invaluable knowledge of the Fashion world, both as business minds and consumers themselves). Being pretty good at something is amazing, pursuing and perfecting your craft is an ongoing journey; a commitment these three women have made, and taken in their stride.

And I have taken browsing the Luna Charles website and picking my new favourites daily in my stride. My current next-pay-day-treat-list looks a little like this:

Now I've definitely been inspired by the Autumn/Winter season of my dreams with these picks, and maybe I need to remind myself that I'm more likely to spend the run up to Christmas at home in sweatpants rather than at a bar and in sparkles, but what's the harm in hoping? Besides, lounge wear can absolutely be worn with a transitional berry toned scrunchie and adorable stud earrings! And if you ask me, Zoom meetings have been missing a delicately placed leopard print clutch bag in the foreground that will instigate a celebration of all things sustainable fashion.

Additionally, having been so well glammed up during Quarantine: the summer series, I can't imagine resisting my wish list throughout the entirety of the highly anticipated second instalment of the Covid-19 Saga.

My mum has also caught the Luna Charles bug so when jolly ol' Saint Nick comes calling on December 24th and leaves a sack of parcels on the door step before taking three steps back, I imagine Laura, Emma and Sorrel will have played the role of elves for the Melia clan after a rather large order or two.

Shopping small and shopping local have been a huge focus for most of us during the pandemic and that's most likely played a part in the success of LC: not having the high street to rely on has seen people learn about and become loyal to new, independent brands. I really hope as a friend and customer not just as a freelancer for the brand, that the support for entrepreneurs continues long after the lock down. Shopping small doesn't just pay bills, it builds and supports dreams.

Luna Charles is the dream of three talented, intelligent and business savvy women, all of whom I am proud to call my friends. These are women that I have never felt anything but love and support from; they've gifted me with the privilege of being 'the face of Luna Charles', and I am incredibly grateful for their faith in my skills... and my face. Of course you could call me biased, but I'm not saying all of this because Emma, Laura and of course Sorrel, are my friends; I'm saying all of this because it's true. Generally speaking we don't celebrate the success of women very often, even more than that, we celebrate the success of BUISNESS WOMEN, even less than that. And this year in particular has seen few things to be cheering for.

But I will always cheer for these women. Especially knowing that Sorrel is raising an independent, kind and tenacious little girl, whom I have no doubt will become an icon in her own right, having been surrounded by such empowered and empowering women from such an early age.

“we all move forward when we recognize how resilient and striking the women around us are”

― Rupi Kaur, Milk and Honey

Now if launching the company went well, dropping the Mermaid Collection surpassed all expectations (remember I said you'd "sea some gorg content"...). The siren inspired accessories, modelled by the divine Ellie Ryan dropped in late June: just in time for us to drool over them whilst thinking there wouldn't be a chance in the world we'd get to wear the shell pendant's and starfish hair slides the way we'd truly like to. Poolside in Ibiza, out for tapas in Barcelona, on a boat just off the beautiful Greek island of Kalokairi kissing a blonde hunk while ABBA plays somewhere in the background... just me? Cool, moving on.

With those visions in mind it worked out pretty well that restrictions began to lift in early July and those summer fantasies became realities, be it a vacation or a staycation, the LC insta feed was flooded with glamourous babes adorned in the latest collection. All looking out of this world.

Ok, we've covered the origin story, we've had the bump in the Covid filled road, talked successes, stocking multiple (and reputable) retailers, written our wish lists and given a nod to the future of business. Now, where to next for the future of this business?

Well Ladies, Gents, and Non-Binary friends, meet Arrahnne Allen and the Luna Charles PUNK collection. Live on the Luna Charles site RIGHT NOW.