Jewelry Designers Ashley Morgan and Yael Designs Partner for a Cause with Leone Collection
Renowned fine jewelry designers Ashley Morgan and Yael Designs debut Leone Collection to benefit the war-ravished Sierra Leone.
Two renowned fine jewelry designers, Ashley Morgan and Yael Designs, are proud to debut the Fall 2011 Leone Collection to benefit the war-ravished Sierra Leone.
Designed by Ashley Morgan and manufactured by Yael Designs, the Leone Collection includes rings, earrings and necklaces featuring conflict-free custom cut black diamonds set in 18K recycled blackened gold and accented with white diamonds and Japanese seed pearls. Inspired by the royal image of Sierra Leone – or Lion Mountain – the collection refashions regal images of nature found on crowns and royal architecture throughout human history.
“We wanted to create a collection that brings regal beauty to the modern age and speaks to the universal values of our world’s many cultures,” said designer Ashley Morgan.
In their first ever collaboration, the two designers saw the chance to combine the fresh aesthetic of Ashley Morgan with the craftsmanship expertise of Yael Designs to create a unique jewelry collection that gives back to the impoverished people of Sierra Leone.
“As jewelry designers, we wanted to do our part to help rebuild Sierra Leone - a country that has been so negatively impacted by the diamond trade industry,” said Yael Designs’ CEO Yehouda Saketkhou.
Percentage of the profits from the Leone Collection will be donated to Schools for Salone, a Seattle-based nonprofit that helps build schools, train teachers and give scholarships in Sierra Leone. The donation from the Leone Collection will be used to help build a primary school in Lungi Village in the southern part of Sierra Leone.
“New schools infuse villages with pride and give the people of Sierra Leone renewed hope for a brighter future,” said Cindy Nofziger, Executive Director of Schools for Salone. “We’re excited to partner with Yael Designs and Ashley Morgan to help achieve our goal of building a school for the Lungi community.”
The price for Leone Collection starts at $1,200. The collection is available online at http://www.ashleymorganyael.com and in select stores. It will be featured at JCK Las Vegas.
About Ashley Morgan:
Ashley is a San Francisco-based jewelry designer who uses her ability to evoke emotion from jewelry to craft pieces of art that are as much individual style as they are the embodiment of endless possibilities.
Ashley is a San Francisco-based jewelry designer who uses her ability to evoke emotion from jewelry to craft pieces of art that are as much individual style as they are the embodiment of endless possibilities.
As a young designer, Ashley challenges the status quo. Her love for rare and unusual stones is reflected in her objects d'art. Each piece she designs is one-of-a-kind and possesses a rarefied beauty. Ashley's inspiration stems from tradition, nature and culture rather than fleeting trends.
Ashley is an artist in the truest sense of the word and her designs are intended for individuals immersed in the art of living who yearn to capture and express their unique spirit and beauty.
Her unique look has caught the attention of the Hollywood, including Angelina Jolie, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Denise Richards among many others. Ashley’s jewelry has been featured in a wide variety of magazines and she was named one of Lucky Magazine’s “Designers to Watch.”
Photos and store locator can be found on http://www.ashleymorgandesigns.com.
About Yael Designs:
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in San Francisco, Yael Designs is an award-winning design center for cutting edge, elegant and expressive jewelry. Yael Designs has produced 12 diverse collections in fashion and bridal categories.
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in San Francisco, Yael Designs is an award-winning design center for cutting edge, elegant and expressive jewelry. Yael Designs has produced 12 diverse collections in fashion and bridal categories.
As an innovative jewelry company, Yael Designs stands not only for unique designs and excellent craftsmanship, but also for sustainability. Yael uses conflict-free diamonds and recycled gold in all its fine jewelry and supports social and environmental organizations like the Junior League of San Francisco, Oceana and Schools for Salone.
Yael Designs’ impeccable jewelry has won numerous AGTA Spectrum Awards and JCK Jewelers Choice Awards. Yael has been featured in numerous fashion and industry publications and on the red carpet.
Photos and store locator can be found on http://www.yaeldesigns.com.
About Schools for Salone:
Schools for Salone is a Seattle-based non-profit organization committed to helping Sierra Leone rebuild the many rural schools destroyed during the country's ten-year civil war. Since its inception in 2004, Schools for Salone has built 14 primary schools, one library and numerous water wells, changing the lives of thousands of children. In addition, Schools for Salone also provides funding to support professional development opportunities for teachers, provides student scholarships and educates US students and civic groups about Sierra Leone. To learn more go to http://www.SchoolsforSalone.org.
Schools for Salone is a Seattle-based non-profit organization committed to helping Sierra Leone rebuild the many rural schools destroyed during the country's ten-year civil war. Since its inception in 2004, Schools for Salone has built 14 primary schools, one library and numerous water wells, changing the lives of thousands of children. In addition, Schools for Salone also provides funding to support professional development opportunities for teachers, provides student scholarships and educates US students and civic groups about Sierra Leone. To learn more go to http://www.SchoolsforSalone.org.
