WHETHER YOU’RE dressing for a day at the office or a night out, Swarovski will help you sparkle this summer with a new collection inspired by shimmering shades of turquoise, aquamarine and bold pink that reflect the ocean and dramatic hues and shapes that emulate aquatic flora.
In Bangkok recently to introduce the new collection, Robert Buchbauer, chief executive of Swarovski’s Consumer Goods Business, spoke enthusiastically of the expansion of the brand’s jewellery categories and the incorporation of the Daniel Swarovski couture line.
“A lot of our pieces are suitable for both day and night. And I am delighted that the couture pieces are now part of our collection,” he told XP.
Founded in 1895 in Austria and now run by the fifth generation of family members, Swarovski Crystal Business has a global reach with approximately 2,480 stores in 170 countries. Together with its sister companies Swarovski Optik, which manufactures optical devices and Tyrolit, which focuses on bonded abrasives, Swarovski Crystal Business forms the Swarovski Group. In 2013, the Group generated revenue of about 3.02 billion euros (Bt120.4 billion) and had some 30,000 people in its employ.
Buchbauer, who is the great-great-grandson of Daniel Swarovski, notes that the brand is constantly evolving in terms of design yet never abandons its core principles. “At our core is the ability to fashion any kind of facet while making the crystals sparking and unique. We design new products around that principle and thanks to modern technology, we are constantly introducing new colour schemes. Today, we can do more than 100 colours, which is a very wide spectrum. Moreover, our clear crystals are now lead free. We have been working on that for a long time. It’s a huge challenge for our engineers to come up with new solutions while ensuring the same beautiful colours and effect.”
Swarovski produces two seasonal collections a year along with a range of designs for special occasional such as Valentine’s Day or Christmas. Boasting a sophisticated and feminine elegance, the new collection and uses bold colours, geometric shapes and coral-like contours for the starfish, seahorse-inspired curls and shellfish shapes that all feature heavily.
The daring Eminence necklace features stacked crystals, set using the state-of-the-art pointiage technique for maximum impact, and slim baguette crystals for a contemporary look. The Stardust and Slake bangles can be stacked together to create a whirl of colour or worn individually to add sparkle to any outfit. The Slake Dot is also a key feature of the bracelet, a crystal cut in a new and unique way for a truly dazzling effect.
The classic Cupid pendant, featuring crystals set in a pave format against a soft rose gold backdrop, remains a firm favourite.
“Our watch category, which we introduced seven years ago, has grown considerably to the point where we are now calling it a success. We are intensifying our efforts in coming up a ball pen and are further exploring the device category. We already have activity bracelets for both men and women that help track everything you do, the number of steps you take, and at the end of the day tell you if you exercise enough or not,” Buchbauer says.
Swarovski is today recognised the world over for delivering a diverse portfolio of unmatched quality, craftsmanship and creativity that goes beyond the manufacturing of crystal. To illustrate the multi-faceted glamour and variety of its designs, Swarovski (Thailand) has chosen actress Praya Lundberg as its first “Friend of Swarovski” in Southeast Asia. Model Miranda Kerr continues to represent the brand globally.
One of the biggest challenges, Buchbauer says, is to keep the brand alive and this requires focus. “We have to be careful not to do too many things at the same time especially since the constant evolution of technology makes so much possible. It’s hard to keep the focus, so one of my tasks is to ensure people in the organisation concentrate on just a few important things. And while it’s great to have endless possibilities, we need to make the right choices from year |to year to please the consumers,” |he concludes.
This source first appeared on The Nation Life.