Gainesville Fashion Week starts tomorrow and we’ll be there. Even as I type this, lighting is being adjusted and art is being hung in the Sharab Lounge in prep for tomorrow night. We received the accessories from Eden China on Saturday and Jacob tells me they are beautiful! They will be available to purchase at Fashion week. In case you’re not familiar with what Eden China, women rescued from prostitution create the Jewelry they sell.

Here’s a bit more about them, from their website:

Eden China began in 2003 out a concern for the prostitutes of China’s red light districts.

Since that time, they have discovered that many of the women they meet have been led into prostitution through deception or have been trafficked through organized crime syndicates. Other women have left their villages in search of employment in the big cities, hoping to bring in an income for their poverty stricken families. Due to their limited education and lack of contacts in the cities, these women find few decent job opportunities. This reality, combined with the lure of a high salary with no educational requirements, leads many such women to prostitution.

At Eden, they seek to bring hope to women trapped in the hopelessness of prostitution. They believe in a holistic approach, serving the needs of body, soul, and spirit. Every person who comes to them is precious and unique with her own set of needs. Eden strives to meet these various needs through their medical clinic, shelters, and alternative career training programs.

Jewelry making has been one of the most lucrative alternative careers available for those leaving prostitution. Their jewelry is for sale on the Eden China website: www.EdenChina.org. All proceeds from jewelry sales help to support former prostitutes.

Bringing this jewelry presents an opportunity to celebrate the rescue and transformation of exploited beauty within the context of modern fashion.

Hope to see you at the Sharab!