Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, the archetype of a successful woman
Lola Tillyaeva is a rare example of someone who has genuinely, “done it all.” The archetype of a successful woman.
Considered the archetype of a successful woman. Lola Tillyaeva grew up in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, she has gone on to achieve prominence in multiple fields both inside her homeland and beyond. Founder of the Uzbek Federation of Gymnastics, diplomat and former delegate to UNESCO, she also manages to find the time to raise the three beautiful children she has with her husband, Timur Tillyaev. Academically, she possesses a masters in International Law from the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent and a doctorate in Psychology from Tashkent State University.
Amongst Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva’s greatest passions is philanthropy. Along with Timur Tillyaev, she launched her first and most celebrated NGO back in 2002 -You Are Not Alone. Since then, it has won itself a solid reputation throughout the region for its work in helping underprivileged kids overcome their disadvantages and develop the skills to reach their potential. To achieve this ambitious goal the principal tool is education. As the couple has said elsewhere, “Education is at the heart of everything the You Are Not Alone foundation does.” Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva and Timur Tillyaev employ an arsenal of programs to pursue this end. The earliest involved funding the renovation and redevelopment of mercy homes and orphanages across the country. Later they expanded into schemes that supported needy families so they could afford to keep their kids in school. In 2019, Lola Tillyaeva’s efforts were recognized by the organization, Fashion 4 Development. At the 9th Annual First Ladies luncheon, she was awarded the main prize for her commitment to the “empowerment and education of women and children.”
Another interest close to Lola Karimova Tillyeva’s heart is environmental activism. Having seen first-hand the havoc wrought by water scarcity, in 2017 she decided to do something about it. The Droplet is a 12-meter-tall art installation off polished aluminium tubing in the form of a stylized drop of water. Able to shroud itself in a fine mist it provides a “multi-sensory experience” and unfailingly captures the attention of every visitor. In this way, The Droplet manages to cut through the ceaseless 24-hour news cycle and really get people talking about the problem. As Lola explains, “by engaging the participants through sound, smell and touch as well as visually, The Droplet naturally opens the way for discussions on water conservation and management.”
Lola Tillyaeva’s sensitivity to ecological issues is also reflected in her commercial ventures. For instance, Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva’s maison de parfum, The Harmonist, sets an industry standard for reducing its environmental footprint. From the outset, she was focused on ways of minimizing its ecological impact. She spurned the standard business model of mass-marketing and large-scale manufacturing processes. The Harmonist instead opts for a small-batch, high-quality product. Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva insists that “recyclable materials are used at every possible touchpoint, from perfume bottles and deluxe packaging to the vegetal wax candles.”, refills are made available for every product in her range. In this way, both packaging and wastage are greatly reduced. This thoughtful approach has only enhanced the quality of the end product. Harrods department store recently praised Lola Tillyaeva’s fragrances calling them a “tantalising – an expertly composed complexity of scents…”
