AutumnAureliaUK

Hi! I’m Autumn, the designer and maker here at Autumn Aurelia. I was born in London but now live in Belfast, Northern Ireland with my partner and three extremely loyal kitties. For as long as I can possibly remember, I have always felt an emotional and therapeutic connection with animals, art, and nature, all of which feature heavily in my designs.

Art was the path I wish I had followed, but never had the courage to do so.

During my mid-20s, I became deeply affected by the long-buried sexual abuse I had endured as a child. Coupled with two further sexual assaults as an adult, I developed complex post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression. Despite having struggled with other mental illnesses in my teenage years, it was the trauma that ultimately led to my becoming bedbound and housebound.

Through it all, I’ve relied on my creativity and love for animals to keep me alive. It was, in fact, my love for one particular animal that saved me time and time again. A year into being housebound, I rescued a dog called Lola. In reality, though, it was Lola who rescued me. Slowly, and with Lola’s support, I began to find purpose and hope.

In the years we spent together, Lola watched me go through several depressive episodes while also facing new challenges of chronic illness, but her love never wavered. During the end stages of Lola’s life, I was now at my healthiest ever, being able to leave the house with my partner and friends alike.

After several years of her own health problems, however, we had to make the decision to let Lola go. It was and still remains the saddest day of my life. I lost so much when she passed away, but I also felt thankful and extremely hopeful for my future because of all the love she had given me.

I truly believe Lola stayed with me until she knew I was well enough, strong enough, to continue without her. I can't thank her enough for that.

Since working on designs for my first collection, I have noticed a dramatic improvement in my mental well-being. I am generally much happier and healthier when creating, and it has given me a sense of purpose and direction in life. However, while my mental health has improved, my physical health has declined. I struggle with chronic fatigue, endometriosis, and fibromyalgia, meaning I'm often bedbound for days because I'm too exhausted to move.

I live for the good days, though, when I’m awake and full of energy. I now greet each new day with excitement and joy to design and create these pieces. I hope this is evident from the magical, whimsical, wearable art I make and share with you.

With my business, it is my mission to encourage others to follow their dreams, no matter what they face. I’m passionate about feminism, human rights, and social justice. These are themes I plan to visit in my jewellery, aiming to work alongside charities to make our world a better place.