The love for Afghan tribal jewellery is now global. Last year, British jewellery designer Pippa Small found her way to the streets of Kabul in search for inspiration for her next collection for a design house called Monsoon. Small’s association with Afghanistan began with Turquoise Mountain Foundation — built by British MP Rory Stewart to encourage Afghan craft — back in 2006. Her clientele includes Nicole Kidman, Sophie Dahl and Uma Thurman.

Under the brand ‘Aayenda’ (‘future’ in Dari) Afghan jewellery made its way to London Fashion Week last year courtesy of Future Brilliance — a charity set up by Sophia Swire, a British business woman. Swire is credited for introducing the Pashmina to the West after she spotted Lahori socialites wearing it at an event back in the 1990s. She also helped establish a school for jewellers and gem cutters through Turquoise Mountain.

Jewellery making is a part of Afghan culture — a country rich in emeralds, rubies, tourmalines and lapis lazuli. With the discovery of the Bactrian Hoard in 1978, Afghanistan’s original tribal design can be traced back to the the first century BC. Its influence can be found in other Central Asian as well as Greek and Turkish tribal jewellery.

Afghan jewellery enjoyed immense popularity in Pakistan in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. Designers such as Iman Ahmed from the Body Focus Museum and Maria Butt also chose to adorn their collections with Afghan tribal jewellery at the fashion week held last week in Lahore. Walk into any bazaar and you’ll see a surge of shops selling these tribal designs. A quick search online reveals more and more businesses catering to clientele interested in acquiring them — and there are many. It’s safe to assume that Afghan jewellery is not only in vogue on the international runway, but back home as well.