GlamTribal Jewelry + Omo Valley People @ Kol Ami Craft Show Oct 13-14 2012

Today marks an important day in the development of Anne of Carversville and my own journey. In our fourth outing with my new GlamTribal jewelry collection, we’ve almost got it right. At tonight’s party and tomorrow (Sunday) from 11-4, we travel to The Craft & Fine Arts show @ Kol Ami in what is an emotional outing for me. Our inspiration for the weekend event is the extraordinary natural artistry of the Omo Valley people of Ethiopia.

The Craft & Fine Arts show @ Kol Ami

Congregation Kol Ami is located at 8201 High School Road in Elkins Park.

Saturday night, October 13, there is a special preview night and sale from 6:30 to 10:00 pm. Tickets are $20 for members, and $25 to general public at the door.

On Sunday the crafts and fine arts show is open from 11am to 5pm. Tickets are $5 at the door.

GlamTribal $150 Gift Certificates

This photo features our raffle contribution to Kol Ami, a three-piece set, one-of-a-kind that will not be reproduced and is inspired by the Omo Valley people. There are many sentiments attached to the elements in the collection including 200-year-old or older Hebron beads traded in Sudan.

Honoring Jewish Friends

I chose them to honor the work of the Kol Ami community in fighting successfully a proposed hospital merger in Phladelphia, one that would have severely curtailed women’s health services.

My own work to end the flogging of 40,000 and more women a year inspired me to search for components in my raffle gift that would honor the firm commitment to women’s health services embraced by the Jewish community worldwide. 

On a personal level, I have always had the support of this community in any of my entrepreneurial ventures, almost as if they recognize a winner not in their tribe and step up to offer her the resources necessary for success. Jewish people have supported me in ways my own family has not, most of all believing in me, my talents and ability to make significant contributions to a better world. There will never be enough gratitude that I can show this community.

10% of all GlamTribal revenues are split between Planned Parenthood in the US and the purchase of sanitary napkins for African girls in Kenya, so that they can stay in school. The complexity of this dire problem — one that rarely makes the NGO blog posts — is a perfect initiative for me, with my background in female sexuality and lingerie design.

For those who don’t know, I was a 10-year executive with Victoria’s Secret leaving the business to pursue a new life course in my last position as Fashion Director.

First and foremost, I am very proud of our jewelry. Since we made our debut in Lancaster, PA on July 22, our entire team has turned things inside out to make our nature-inspired jewelry even better. I’ve taken the lead in design, actually making the jewelry designs and not only acting as the CEO and Creative Director. Who knew! We’re all a bit surprised by the prolific nature of my own design talent in a classificaton that I’ve rarely touched in my career.

Honoring Nature-Inspired Omo Valley People

Today, we honor the Omo Valley people of Ethiopia. In particular, our Spring 2013 Collection will be inspired by two tribes of the Omo Valley — the Surma and the Mursi — whose couture-level, nature-inspired body decorations caught the eye of photographer Hans Silvester in his book ‘Natural Fashon: Tribal Decoration from Africa’.

I can’t help thinking that one day, Sarah Burton will take the Alexander McQueen collection on a design voyage into the Omo Valley, located near Lake Turkana, believed to be the origin of human civilization.

Anne of Carversville | Phase Two

On a personal level, I feel that my own life journey has taken me to this point with many zigs and zags. My course has not been an easy one, when I decided to totally revamp and reorient my life, values and priorities in a post-September 11 world.

I thank my hundreds of thousands of readers for what has been a heartfelt, rose-colored glasses experience on many levels. We are embrarking now on a much more public journey (Anne, are you crazy!! Every thought in your mind has been public for the last five years!) with a creative, inspiring purpose to combine business and philanthropy at GlamTribal.

GlamTribal Philanthropy First

In a totally transparent action, we are putting the 10 percent philanthropy contribution first — off the top. There will be no conflicts of interest around the bottom line. The money comes off the top where it can’t be tampered with or massaged to a lower number. Frankly, the decision is liberating!

GlamTribale pop-up shop in Anne Enke’s living room. My vision has become so absorbed in getting GlamTribal ‘right’ that I popped into my own living room on Friday, laying out the smallest version of a pop-up shop, one 6’x8’, the size of our Elkins Park booth.

I hope that you will join us in our journey into lightness and our determined efforts to create jobs in America using stones, pods, shells and other decorations from Africa and around the globe. GlamTribal jewelry reflects my personal heart, soul and principles. I hope that you will share them. Sending my best always. ~ Love, Anne