‘Stars of Africa’ on the Runway for Charity

Royal Asscher lit up the runway Thursday night in New York with its “Stars of Africa” collection, by Toronto jewelry designer Reena Ahluwalia.

Model with Stars of 
Photo: Barry J. Holmes

For each piece sold at the “Lingerie New York” event and over the next six months, 50 percent of the profits will go to the Seven Bar Foundation, an organization, through an online collaboration on Royal Asscher’s Web site. The foundation provides small loans (via micro-financing) to underprivileged women to start their own small business as an exit out of poverty.

Actress Sofia Vergara hosted the runway event at Cipriani’s 42nd Street, which attracted a number of celebrities and jewelry industry official, most notably Russell Simmons, the hip-hop entrepreneur and founder of the Diamond Empowerment Fund, and actress Minnie Driver.

From left: Actress Sofia Vergara, Renata M. Black, Seven Bar Foundation director, and Lita Asscher, president of Royal Asscher of America

The MTV produced show included eight aerialist performers; two top couture and luxury lingerie designers—Atsuko Kudo and Carine Gilson—DJ Michelle Rodriguez; and models Veronica Webb, Elsa Benitez and Crystal Renn walking the runway.

The Stars of Africa by Royal Asscher collection consists of rings, pendants, earrings and necklaces. Diamonds are encased in fluid filled sapphire dome, allowing them to fall freely, like snowflakes in a snow globe. For each piece of Stars of Africa jewelry sold, at least three women will get microfinance loans.

The scene at Cipriani's

“We are extremely proud to have the opportunity through our collections and success to provide women living in poverty with an opportunity to sustain themselves for life and create their own legacy,” said Lita Asscher, president of Amsterdam-based Royal Asscher diamond company.

Royal Asscher and CoutureLab to Support the Seven Bar Foundation

This Shining Stars ring is among the Royal Asscher jewelry that will be available on CoutureLab. Photo credit: Royal Asscher

Royal Asscher said Thursday that it is selling jewelry from its Stars of Africa and Shining Stars collections on the website CoutureLab to benefit the Seven Bar Foundation.

CoutureLab is a luxury gift website that sells fine and rare products that focus on quality, heritage and craftsmanship. Seven Bar Foundation is a social enterprise that empowers women in the developing world by providing microfinance opprtunities that fuels local businesses that enrich communities.

A total of 20 percent of retail profit from sales of Royal Asscher jewelry on CoutureLab will benefit the Seven Bar Foundation and help extend ladders to women out of poverty.

Royal Asscher’s Stars of Africa and Shining Stars collections consist of diamonds encased within fluid-filled sapphire domes, which allow the diamonds to float freely like snowflakes in a snow globe. The result is cascading diamonds that emit light, fire and beauty. Each piece is handcrafted by expert craftsmen in Florence, Italy.

The idea behind the Stars of Africa and Shining Stars jewelry lines has always been to raise funds and awareness for children’s programs in Africa through its Star of Africa initiative. This is just another way for the company and priduct to achieve this goal, said. Renata Black, founder of the Seven Bar Foundation says, “We are honored to call the Royal Asscher.
 
In addition, Royal Asscher, founded in 1854 and known for cutting some of largest and most famous diamonds in history, fits right in with a website that focuses on heritage.

“Royal Asscher supports CoutureLab founder Carmen Busquets’ vision for her website as a place where the stories of the products and the people behind them would be celebrated—where clients could not only learn about the heritage and see the true value of it, but also fall in love and own a piece of it,” said Lita Asscher, president of Royal Asscher of America.