2020 was certainly a challenging year! Annoushka, like many businesses, was forced to close all of our stores multiple times; meaning disruption for our clients and teams across the globe; and just as the end seemed to be in sight, here we go again!
I started last year knowing I wanted to get to know the Annoushka community better. As the first lockdown and sense of uncertainty gripped us, this goal felt unachievable but even more important. And yet, amidst the tragedy, disruption, and economic stress of 2020, I am so proud of my fabulous team who put thought and time into creating inspiring, community led moments, reflecting the highs and lows of the year.
Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, Vanity Fair
“FOR MANY OF US, THIS YEAR HAS BEEN ABOUT A RENEWED PERSPECTIVE”
Early on, we launched our first online book club with Penguin where I had the pleasure of talking to leading authors, such as the first black female Man Booker prize winner, Bernadine Evaristo, about her groundbreaking novel Girl, Woman, Other. A small, but meaningful “first” in the year that Black Lives Matter finally got the global coverage and participation that it needs.
One of the few advantages of lockdown has been a real sense of perspective and the need to learn new things or skills. For me, this meant becoming a little better with technology and even conquering live broadcasts from home!
For many of us, this year has been about a renewed perspective…
Wallpaper*, Sloane Square Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, FT How To Spend It
With the arrival of spring and what we all hoped would be new beginnings, we launched Garden Party , a collection inspired by the topiary in my garden. As the nation found collective refuge in green spaces, parks and gardens, we also learnt the importance of symbols of love, hope, and protection. Our Charm Of Hope competition reflected this with nearly 1,000 global entries, each as poignant as the next. The winner was incredibly hard to choose (it took me three days!) but in the end the winning design was a very simple, but gorgeous, watering can engraved with ‘Water Your Hope, It Will Bloom’.
“WE ALSO LEARNT THE IMPORTANCE OF SYMBOLS OF LOVE, HOPE AND PROTECTION”
As we all clapped for carers and the NHS, with your help, we raised £20,000 for our local St George’s NHS Hospital, which provided much needed monitoring equipment for their High-Risk Obstetrics Unit, which as a mother of four, gave me immense pleasure. As I write this, the equipment is being installed.
“WE ALSO LEARNT THE IMPORTANCE OF SYMBOLS OF LOVE, HOPE AND PROTECTION”
As we all clapped for carers and the NHS, with your help, we raised £20,000 for our local St George’s NHS Hospital, which provided much needed monitoring equipment for their High-Risk Obstetrics Unit, which as a mother of four, gave me immense pleasure. As I write this, the equipment is being installed.
Country & Town House
New York Times, Harpers Bazaar, Vanity Fair
While lockdown allowed the planet to breathe through a long, hot summer, we launched This Is Solid Gold , explaining why I make my jewellery in real gold and avoid cheaper metals such as gold plate or vermeil. Jewellery should last forever and be passed on, or perhaps be remodelled to create something new, if needed. I am proud that approximately 80 percent of the gold we use has been recycled.
“JEWELLERY SHOULD LAST FOREVER AND BE PASSED ON”
The Lovelock collection, launched in September, which celebrates the iconic “lovers lock” design, reflected our instinctive need for security and connection. This was one of the topics that we discussed at our London Design Festival virtual event, which also explored my affinity with charms.
New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, American Vogue, InStyle Mexico
The culmination of my charm obsession is My Life In Seven Charms , our first truly bespoke service. This is a commissionable service, which sees your life's memories and milestones crafted in seven unique 18ct gold charms. To bring this to life I could think of no better way than launching a podcast with the same name; another first for me personally! What a wonderful excuse to interview seven remarkable women, imagining their lives in seven charms. Guests in series one included British Vogue’s longest-serving Editor-In-Chief Alexandra Shulman and Princess Margaret’s former lady-in- waiting and best-selling author Lady Anne Glenconner . Our royal connections didn’t stop there, Gillian Anderson, star of The Crown, series four, was shot wearing our signature Crown rings for her Woman of the Year cover shoot. Another Woman Of The Year was Lashana Lynch, our first black, female 007, who wore Annoushka on her own cover of Harper's Bazaar.
“WE RAISED MORE THAN £325,000 IN THE FIRST YEAR, THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF SO MANY IN THE ANNOUSHKA COMMUNITY”
The opportunity to support one of my favourite charities, The Princes Trust, came later in the year in October. Young women have suffered disproportionately from the impact of Coronavirus and the charities that support them have struggled to meet the demand. I launched The Brilliant Breakfast, as an annual grass roots fundraiser for the Women Supporting Women programme. Against all odds (and Covid lockdown) through the support of so many in the Annoushka community, we raised more than £325,000. This year it would be wonderful if The Brilliant Breakfast could raise £1 Million for this wonderful cause – ambitious I know, but so worthwhile.
Whilst this year has, without doubt, been the most challenging in my career so far, it has also been one of the most rewarding. I have received so much encouragement and feedback from the Annoushka community and we are still in business. I have a lot to be grateful for.
Thank you for all your support this year
