Some moments in life stay with you.
For me, one of those moments happened ten years ago in Kosovo.
I travelled there in 2016 to meet women taking part in Women for Women International’s programmes, and to share some of the jewellery-making and business skills I had learned through building Posh Totty Designs. I went with the intention of teaching, but I came home having learned so much more than I could ever have imagined.
I met women who had lived through harrowing experiences. Women who had lost homes, livelihoods, education and loved ones. Women who had walked for days with their children to find safety. And yet, alongside those stories of enormous hardship, what struck me most was their warmth.
Their laughter.
Their generosity.
Their extraordinary ability to welcome me with open arms.
I remember being greeted with three kisses and huge hugs when I arrived at one of the Women for Women International[AM1] groups. I remember the women’s enthusiasm during our jewellery-making workshops, their curiosity, their humour and their determination to build something better for themselves and their families.
And I remember the word that kept coming up in their stories: embrace.
For women who had once crossed borders as refugees, often feeling utterly lost and without hope, the kindness of strangers on the other side had meant everything. They had been welcomed. They had been embraced. That simple human gesture had represented safety, acceptance and hope at a time when they had so little of it.
That was the moment the idea for Share a Hug was born.
A hug became a piece of jewellery.
Back in Brighton, I wanted to create something that could carry that feeling with it.
Something small enough to wear every day, but meaningful enough to remind us that none of us should have to face the world alone.
I sketched an open circle, with two little hands reaching around it. The design became a symbol of an embrace, a hug that never quite ends.
And so, our Share a Hug collection was born.
From the very beginning, this was never just about making a beautiful piece of jewellery. It was about using something we make every day at Posh Totty Designs to do something bigger.
We committed the proceeds from the original Share a Hug necklace to Women for Women International, helping support their work with women survivors of war and conflict. Over the years, that little symbol of an embrace has grown into a whole collection of jewellery, from necklaces and bracelets to rings and earrings - all carrying the same message of love, acceptance and solidarity.
And now, somehow, ten years have passed!
Ten years of women supporting women.
Ten years of customers choosing to wear a little reminder of hope.
That makes me incredibly proud.
Ten years of women, for women.
What I love most about our relationship with Women for Women International is that it feels so deeply aligned with what Posh Totty Designs has always been about.
We are a business built around women. Our jewellery is designed to celebrate the people we love, the stories that make us who we are and the moments, big and small, that matter.
But I have always believed that being a women-focused business should mean more than simply designing jewellery for women.
It should mean standing beside women.
Listening to women.
Celebrating women.
And, where we can, helping women have the tools, confidence and opportunity to shape their own futures.
Women for Women International does exactly that. Their work supports women survivors of war to rebuild their lives, giving them skills, knowledge and resources to create sustainable change for themselves, their families and their communities.
Looking back at my diary from Kosovo, I am struck by how much those women still influence me.
I think of Violetta, who had built a new life and opened her own shop after surviving the war.
I think of Kimete, whose courage and determination to protect her children was extraordinary.
I think of Iliriana, who reminded me that kindness can carry us through the darkest moments and that we are all responsible for showing compassion and support to one another.
Their stories became part of Posh Totty Designs.
And, ten years later, they still are.
Introducing the Dove of Hope
To mark this very special anniversary, I wanted to create something new.
Something that could sit alongside Share a Hug while carrying its own message.
And that is how our Dove of Hope was born.
The dove has always felt like such a powerful symbol to me. Of peace. Of hope. Of freedom. Of optimism. Of believing that something better is possible, even when the world feels fragile.
Our new Dove of Hope designs are joining the Share a Hug Charity Collection as a little symbol of everything these past ten years have taught me: that hope matters, that kindness matters and that we are stronger when we stand together.
And, most importantly, that jewellery can carry a story far bigger than itself.
The Dove of Hope Signet Ring and Charm Necklace are designed to be worn as everyday reminders of resilience and optimism, while continuing our commitment to supporting Women for Women International. A donation is made from every Dove of Hope Signet Ring and Charm Necklace sold to help support their vital work.
Ten years on, the hug still matters. The world has changed enormously since that trip to Kosovo. But the need for compassion, acceptance and solidarity hasn't gone away.
If anything, it feels more important than ever.
A hug is such a simple thing. It doesn't need words. It doesn't need translation. It simply says:
I see you. I am with you. You are not alone.
Ten years later, I am incredibly proud that a piece of jewellery born from the stories of women in Kosovo has become a way for thousands of people to carry that message with them.
And to every customer who has bought, gifted or worn a Share a Hug piece over the past decade:
Thank you.
Thank you for sharing the hug.
Thank you for believing in the power of women supporting women.
And thank you for helping us turn a piece of jewellery into something that carries love, hope and solidarity far beyond our Brighton workshop.
Here’s to the next ten years.
With love,
Alice x
Founder & Creative Director, Posh Totty Designs
Discover the Share a Hug Charity Collection
Shop The Dove Of Hope Signet Ring
Shop Dove of Hope Charm Necklace
Discover how you can help support Women for Women International
Author: Alice Rivers- Cripps
Founder & CEO of Posh Totty Designs.
Women for Women International UK Charity Registration Number: 1115109
Photography by award-winning photojournalist Hazel Thompson
