British fine jewelry public relations firm Rosie Lillis Communications is announcing Jewellers for Afghanistan, an online-only charity auction that is bringing together 25 British jewelers, each of whom have donated a piece of jewelry to raise funds for the Afghanistan-based charity Women for Afghan Women. Bidding will begin on Monday, Sept. 27, at the London fine art action house Roseberys and will wrap up on Monday, Oct. 4.
Rosie Lillis, director of Rosie Lillis Communications, says she decided to launch the initiative after she saw the threat to safety, basic rights to work, and education—not to mention the lives of Afghan women.
“This is an enormous humanitarian crisis for all Afghans but particularly for women, whose rights to education, self-expression, and freedom are in jeopardy. And as a mother of a little girl and founder of a business that supports female entrepreneurs, I wanted to do whatever I could to help,” she tells JCK. “Women for Afghan Women is an extraordinary women’s rights organization which is working ceaselessly to provide urgent resources and care to vulnerable women and children during this ongoing crisis and, longer term, to protect their basic human rights. I hope that by coming together as a collective, we are able to raise much-needed funds to help support the humanitarian efforts of those who are providing shelter to those who are most vulnerable and fighting tirelessly to protect the hard-won rights of the women and girls of Afghanistan.”
The auction will feature designs ranging from established British jewelers such as Solange Azagury-Partridge, Annoushka, Theo Fennell, Pippa Small, and Shaun Leane, as well as emerging talents including Jessie Thomas, Bear Brooksbank, Liv Luttrell, and Christopher Thompson Royds. Whatever is raised from the sale of the pieces—each valued at retail anywhere from $370 to $2,200—will go directly to Women for Afghan Women.
“Many of the brands involved are female-owned and -run and, all of the designers involved hold the education and empowerment of women and young girls close to their hearts,” Lillis says.
Top: Sophie Theakston 18k gold and diamond marigold earrings, $2,063 (All photos courtesy of Rosie Lillis Communications)
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