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From top: The play tower at Swarovski’s Crystal Worlds in Wattens; ‘Sundew’ by Elaine Yan Ling Ng
The Cut
Bottom: Dress with crystal detailing, and silver and crystal ring, both Dior; double-finger ring, Swarovski, and Kalix open ring, Atelier Swarovski
Social diary
The latest Swarovski news from around the world, including celebratory events and awards ceremonies
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Sacred symbols
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The flux of deluxe
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Read all about it
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Best foot forward
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Show and tell
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Trend report
Motifs inspire the latest collections, as Swarovski nurtures new talent and creates a crystal O for Oprah, and the color of love replaces white for weddings
The luxury market is evolving at such a rate that the very meaning of ‘luxury’ is changing – and the smart money’s on those brands that stay ahead of the game
Swarovski honors its history with the publication of a new book, while collaborations with Brazilian accessories brand Chilli Bean and wearable-tech company Misfit look to the future
René Caovilla and La Perla step out in glittering style – as does Swarovski, on its 120th anniversary
Partners from the past exhibit in Shanghai, Australian designers garner a host of new fans, and Swarovski Waterschool marks a milestone
The autumn/winter 15 catwalks were awash with statement looks, many of them complemented by intricate and eye-catching crystal detailing
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Crystal landmark
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Uncommon threads
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Little treasures
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Size XERO
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The silo treatment
Swarovski sparkle for Dubai towers, opulence at the Oscars, J.Crew’s Parisian chic, Italy’s ones to watch, and commemorative crystal
Curator Olivier Saillard, the man behind two of the summer’s most talked-about shows, shares his innovative approach to staging a fashion exhibition
The designer childrenswear market is booming, as big names and up-and-coming brands amass collections to rival their grown-up counterparts
How Swarovski created a revolutionary new chaton: the world’s first faceted precision-cut crystal
For his label’s 40th anniversary, the legendary Giorgio Armani has curated a celebration of his life’s work in a unique new exhibition space in Milan
Surface value
Renowned for its striking digital prints, design duo Peter Pilotto is adding to the drama with exquisite embellishments – with the help of Swarovski
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Future perfect
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Balmain army
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Jewels with purpose
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Breaking the mold
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Worlds apart
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Shape of the future
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Let there be light
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Shine on
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Walk of life
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Not just a pretty face
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Perfect form
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Swarovski stockists
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Watch this space
The recipients of the Swarovski Designers of the Future Award discuss the new crystal-inspired works they’ve developed for Design Miami/ Basel
Meet the 29-year-old creative director with a legion of fans who has masterminded a star-charged reinvention of a storied 70-year-old fashion house
Students at Central Saint Martins unleash their imaginations in homage to Alexander McQueen
Jean Paul Gaultier recently unveiled a brand-new bespoke crystal on the catwalk – and it’s every bit as unorthodox as the designer himself
Swarovski’s newly reimagined Kristallwelten, in Austria, is more of a feast for the senses than ever
Bold lines and boundary-breaking designs – the latest jewelry from Swarovski is a cut above
Why international design fairs are big business – and the part Swarovski has played in their success
Enchanting eveningwear for autumn/winter 15 given a seductive edge with Swarovski crystals
From top: Crystalencrusted woolcrêpe top and shorts, Peter Pilotto. Crystal cuff and necklace, both Atelier Swarovski by Philippe Ferrandis. ‘Vogue’ swimsuit, Jeanne Lanvin, 1924
Richard Long reveals how a unique relationship with nature and landscapes inf luences his art
How maestro Pat McGrath’s make-up looks have made their mark on the runway
This season’s futuristic crystal shapes, colors and effects from Swarovski
James Harris; Kate Jackling; Katerina Jebb; David Schreyer Synchrodogs at Gelardin Management; Ivan Ruberto
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Features
Store and concession locations, and company contact details around the world
The little green crystal with properties that are totally out of this world
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STUARTWEITZMAN.COM
THE FUTURE ISSUE
120 YEARS OF SWAROVSKI
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elcome to the autumn/winter 2015 issue of Salt – the second special edition commemorating 120 years of Swarovski. An extraordinary year of achievement and celebration reached its peak in May with the VIP re-opening of Swarovski Kristallwelten in Wattens. Times of celebration often call for ref lection, but, while heritage plays an integral role in our evolution, so too does the need to look forward. In this edition, we wished to capture a sense of unwrapping the future, and so it is both an exploration of Swarovski’s ongoing journey and a celebration of the visionaries who continue to lead the way. Key to a pioneering spirit is a commitment to nurturing the next generation, and this is something we have embraced for many years. This year’s annual Swarovski Design Project at Central Saint Martins took inspiration from the Savage Beauty exhibition that honored Alexander McQueen, while our sponsorship of the first Swarovski Designers of the Future Award was a highlight of the 10th anniversary edition of Design Miami/ Basel. Every generation brings with it a wave of fresh talent. When Peter Pilotto, winner of the inaugural Swarovski Collective Prize, first hit the runway with cutting-edge Swarovski embellishment and digital prints, it inspired an almost cult-like following. Then there is Olivier Rousteing, the 29-year-old designer who has transformed the 70-year-old house of Balmain and amassed an army of A-list devotees along the way. Some more established names continue to break new ground, too, from Jean Paul Gaultier, who took inspiration from imperfection for a new Swarovski crystal cut, to make-up artist Pat McGrath, whose showstopping looks continue to push boundaries. In the modern age, the rules of design, fashion, technology, art and architecture are ever changing. And today, Swarovski stands at the forefront of change and innovation – just as we did 120 years ago.
NADJA SWAROVSKI AND MARKUS LANGES-SWAROVSKI Members of the Swarovski Executive Board
LAPERLA.COM
Contributors
ANNETTE MASTERMAN Set designer and stylist
EMMA O’KELLY Writer
NATALIE RIGG Writer
IVAN RUBERTO Photographer
Annette Masterman works primarily with jewelry, fragrance and luxury goods. She has traveled extensively, living and working in Tokyo and New York, and draws on the rich culture of both in all aspects of her work. She contributes to, among others, Numéro, Vogue, Vanity Fair and Under The Influence.
Emma O’Kelly is editor-at-large at Wallpaper, having worked at the magazine since 1998. She writes about architecture, design, art and fashion for publications including The Daily Telegraph and How To Spend It. She is currently writing a book on modern Mexican architecture and interiors.
Natalie Rigg writes about fashion, art, music and culture for a variety of publications, including Marie Claire, Porter, Glamour, Dazed & Confused, Twin, Wonderland and The Independent. She has also penned online features for T: The New York Times Style, The Edit, Interview and American Vogue.
Ivan Ruberto is known for his elegantly simple and understated photography. Skilled in both still-life and fashion, he often combines the two, believing one genre can be offset by the other to striking effect. He has shot for many publications and brands, including British Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Cos.
SYNCHRODOGS Photographers
CLARE COULSON Writer
JO CRAVEN Writer
ALICE HART-DAVIS Writer
Tania Shcheglova and Roman Noven are together known as Synchrodogs. Their photography has been featured in the likes of Jalouse, Dazed & Confused, Vice, Harper’s Bazaar and AnOther Magazine, as well as in their own publications, Byzantine and the eponymous Synchrodogs.
Clare Coulson is a former fashion editor at The Daily Telegraph and fashion features director of Harper’s Bazaar. An associate lecturer at Central Saint Martins, she writes for How To Spend It, Marie Claire and The Sunday Telegraph among others, and is an editor at London lifestyle guide A Litt le Bird.
Jo Craven has worked in magazines all her adult life, from Literary Review and Tatler via Vogue – where she was features editor – to Porter, where she is arts and lifestyle director. In addition, she commissions interviews and cover features for The Edit, Net-a-Porter’s weekly digital magazine.
Alice Hart-Davis is a beauty and fashion journalist and founder of skincare range Good Things. As well as regularly writing for publications such as The Times, Newsweek Europe, London Evening Standard and Red magazine, she is the author of two beauty books aimed at teenage girls.
SHOW MEDIA Editor-in-Chief: Peter Howarth Creative Director: Ian Pendleton Editorial Director: Joanne Glasbey Managing Editor: Abby Rawlinson Senior Art Director: Dominic Murray-Bell Senior Designer & Designer: Jo Murray-Bell, Elizabeth Pollard Chief Copy Editor: Eirwen Oxley Green Deputy Chief Copy Editor: Gill Wing Copy Editors: Nicky Gyopari, Tanya Jackson, Katie Wyartt Front-of-Book Editor: Gemma Billington Picture Director: Juliette Hedoin Deputy Picture Editor: Jamie Spence Show Media, 1–2 Ravey Street, London EC2A 4QP +44 (0)20 3222 0101; info@showmedialondon.com; showmedialondon.com
SWAROVSKI CORPORATE BRANDING & COMMUNICATION Member of the Executive Board: Nadja Swarovski Vice President of Communications: Greta Szmaj Creative Director: David Lane Editorial Content Director: Saskia Sissons Global Content Editor: Jethro Turner Head of Communications: Myriam Coudoux Marketing & Corporate Communications Manager: Nina Baumann SWAROVSKI PROFESSIONAL Executive Vice President Marketing: Christoph Kargruber Senior Communications Manager: Carolin Wegerer PR Manager: Giulia Valentini Salt is published in Chinese, English and Japanese. Translation by Etymax; etymax.com Color reproduction by Born; borngroup.com. Printing by Samson Druck GMBH
Salt is published on behalf of Swarovski AG, Droeschistraße 15, 9495 Triesen, Principality of Liechtenstein, by Show Media. © 2015 Swarovski AG. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner
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SOCIAL DIARY The Cut
01. Jennifer Lopez in head-to-toe Atelier Versace encrusted with Swarovski crystals at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in Miami. 02. Julianne Moore embraces her dark side at Cannes in a stunning Armani PrivĂŠ crystal-embroidered silk gauze and feathered gown. 03. Host Natalia Vodianova, left , plays ringmaster at the Fabulous Fund Fair, which raised more than ÂŁ330,000 for her Naked Heart Foundation. Stella McCartney, right, fronted a VIP veggie hot-dog stand at the star-studded event in London.
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04. At the Fabulous Fund Fair, models and musicians, from left, Lily Donaldson, Ellie Goulding, Karlie Kloss, Taylor Swift and Cara Delevingne pose for the cameras. 05. Ulyana Sergeenko, left , who created Natalia Vodianova's striking red circus-themed dress, and shoe designer Charlotte Dellal at the Fabulous Fund Fair. 06. Screen icon Catherine Deneuve with Jean Paul Gaultier at the Grand Palais, Paris, for the launch of the exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to
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BFA NYC; Jean Paul Gaultier; Gett y, Naked Heart Foundation; Venturelli
the Catwalk , which features many designs created with Swarovski. 07. Set designer Simon Costin and costume designer Sandy Powell at the 120th-anniversary celebrations at Swarovski Kristallwelten, Wattens.
10. Diane von Furstenberg, left , with Betsey Johnson, who was presented with the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 CFDA Fashion Awards, in collaboration with Swarovski.
08. Musician FKA Twigs dazzles in a crystal-studded Rodarte dress and Atelier Swarovski jewelry at the grand reopening of Kristallwelten.
11. Natalia Vodianova, left , with Suzy Menkes, who consulted her crystal ball in the Swarovski Fortune Telling booth – one of the many attractions at the Fabulous Fund Fair.
09. Kylie Minogue pays homage to Jean Paul Gaultier in one of the designer’s famously risqué corset dresses at the Grand Palais, Paris.
12. Nadja Swarovski and Markus Langes-Swarovski enjoy the company’s 120th-anniversary celebrations at Kristallwelten.
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13. Actress Cate Blanchett oozes sophistication on the red carpet at Cannes in an Armani Privé gown with Swarovski crystal detailing. 14. Models Karlie Kloss, left , and Jourdan Dunn strike a pose at the Fabulous Fund Fair, held at London’s Roundhouse. 15. Dao-Yi Chow, left , and Maxwell Osborne, right, the design duo behind the Public School label, with Steven Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, at the CFDA Fashion Awards ceremony, in New York’s Lincoln Center.
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Sacred symbols
The Cut
When a symbol takes on spiritual meaning, keeping it close to the body becomes an important ritual. In ancient times, handcrafted sacred talismans thought to protect the wearer from evil or bring them good luck were often fashioned into jewelry. For her ‘by Fiona’ collection for Cadenzza, designer Fiona Pacifico Griffini-Grasser was inspired by two well-loved symbols: the Buddha and the Hand of Fatima, top right. In an update for the autumn-winter season, the range has gained a third emblem: the Evil Eye, a centuries-old symbol of protection that is especially popular in Mediterranean and Asian cultures. Miranda Kerr’s latest collection for Swarovski gives symbolism a contemporary spin. The Australian supermodel and mother-of-one, top left, has designed a line representing the ideals she holds dear: brilliance, love, luck, joy, spirit, strength and grace. The autumn/winter 2015 line includes delicate pendants and bracelets, top, waterfall necklaces and rose-gold rings with crystal pavé.
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Words: Gemma Billington
Jewelry is rarely merely a decorative accessory. Whether made from precious metal or tin, it can symbolize a multitude of personal, cultural and spiritual ideals. A simple gold band worn on the third finger of the left hand, for example, is a tradition believed to date back to Ancient Egyptian times. Wearing it signifies commitment, and the shape of the ring itself – a circle with no beginning or end – is a cipher of everlasting love recognized around the world. Love is at the heart of Chinese bridal couturier Ye Mingzi’s business. Her capsule collection for Atelier Swarovski was inspired by the flower of life, an ancient geometric pattern. Composed of seven intersecting circles, this motif was extensively studied by Leonardo da Vinci and is found in the temples and manuscripts of many cultures across the globe. The designer’s Flower and Seed of Love line was launched last year and proved such a success that a rose-gold and crystal range of necklaces, rings and cuffs, bottom right, has been unveiled.
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Take five For the seventh consecutive year, Swarovski supported the annual International Festival of Fashion and Photography, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in April. The event, held in Hyères, France, was hosted, as usual, in the Villa Noailles – a house built in the 1920s for key patrons of the Surrealist movement Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles. In line with Swarovski’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent, the influential festival – an exciting five days of exhibitions, conferences and competitions – acts as a springboard for launching the careers of young designers, below.
Ladies in red For her new collection, Chinese designer Lan Yu has eschewed the traditional white of wedding-gown designs to embrace the traditional color of love and her country’s national hue: red. The 21 haute-couture dresses in her Love of Butterfly line play with conventional notions of shape and texture – they have panels of sensual sheer material, above, embroidered with lace flowers and embellished with scarlet Swarovski crystals.
The O zone Since 15th wedding anniversaries are commemorated with crystal, when Oprah Winfrey wanted to mark the 15 years since her magazine O launched, she turned to Swarovski. One of the US’s most popular publications, it has a circulation of over two million. Two special birthday covers were produced: one on which Oprah is clad in an embellished evening gown below an 800-crystal O, and an inside cover, left, featuring a giant O that called for 55,000 crystals worth $20,000. Signed copies encrusted with Swarovski crystal were awarded to 15 competition winners, each in a custom-made box.
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THE FLUX OF DELUXE
Though global sales of luxury goods are booming, history shows us that what’s covetable is never constant, and the cleverest brands stay ahead of the curve Words Hattie Crisell
Angelica Cheung Editor-in-chief, Vogue China
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he luxury industry is at a crossroads. Quality has long been defined by the skill and care that go into creating something super-special, whether that be a glittering couture gown or a pair of Italian leather brogues. Yet today, technology is bringing us groundbreaking products that are made not in a craftsman’s studio but in a high-tech engineering laboratory – or perhaps even in the digital ‘cloud’. Take the Apple Watch now being worn by anyone who’s anyone and coveted by everyone else – it’s as much a computer as an accessory, but it feels luxurious all the same. In short, the very meaning of luxury is changing.
The Cut
Jonathan Newhouse, CEO, Condé Nast Suzy Menkes, international editor, Vogue
JW Anderson Designer and creative director, Loewe
The industry needs to works out how to move forward in this rapidly evolving world – and to do so, it recently convened its major players. Swarovski was a key partner of the inaugural Condé Nast International Luxury Conference, which took place in April in Florence’s appropriately grand city hall, the Palazzo Vecchio on the glorious Palazzo della Signoria, with its sculptures by Michelangelo, Ammannati and Giambologna. Hosted by Vogue’s international editor, Suzy Menkes, it comprised two days of talks by inf luential guest speakers, from Karl Lagerfeld to Nadja Swarovski, the great-greatgranddaughter of the company’s founder. Over the past 120 years,
she said, her family’s business has thrived by focusing on the integrity of its crystals – and this has been achieved, in part, by working with the most inspiring minds in fashion. ‘Our collaboration with Alexander McQueen kick-started a whole wave of collaborations,’ she explained. ‘It’s a mutually beneficial exercise because, just as we support them and give them crystals that add glamour to their creations, we, in turn, gain a very strong vision of how crystals can be used in beautiful ways. Today, we’re working hard in Paris, New York and London to collaborate with emerging designers.’ Lagerfeld spoke about the importance of continually moving
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Below: Portraits of Condé Nast International Luxury Conference delegates by Lorenzo Bringheli
‘When you start to be against what’s in the air, it’s the beginning of the end. We have to adapt to the times – the times do not have to adapt to us’ Karl Lagerfeld
Nadja Swarovski Member of the Swarovski Executive Board
Anna Dello Russo Editor-at-large, Vogue Japan
Jonathan Ive Senior vice-president of design, Apple
a brand forward. ‘When you start to be against what’s in the air, it’s the beginning of the end,’ he said. ‘We have to adapt to the times – the times do not have to adapt to us.’ In his 50 years at Fendi, he has never looked back: ‘I never saw the Fendi archives. And I never saw the Chanel archives. I don’t even know where they are.’ The conference offered plenty of inspiration for those trying to imagine what the future might hold. David Lauren, of the Ralph Lauren Corporation, explained how his company has embraced innovation. ‘Last summer, we introduced the first wearable-technology shirt. It measures all your biorhythms, providing you with everything you
want to know about your health and how to live a better and healthier life,’ he explained. It records your heart rate, the calories you’re burning and even how deeply you’re breathing and can deliver all this information to your phone or tablet. It’s the kind of luxury that would have been unimaginable even a generation ago. However, in the midst of all this forward-thinking, the delegates were reminded, it was important to remember that technology should always serve us, not the other way around. Lanvin’s creative director, Alber Elbaz, delivered a few wise words of caution. In a speech entitled ‘Can computers ever replace the creative mind of a fashion designer?’,
he recalled, ‘I recently checked into a hotel. It had been built in the 17th century, but the room I stayed in was not 17th century – it was modern and very smart. It took me around 30 minutes to figure out how to turn off all the lights. And by the time I worked it out, I couldn’t sleep.’ ‘Innovation doesn’t always work,’ he concluded. ‘And the results can sometimes be disappointing. But it’s important to be part of the creative process – to believe in innovation and to keep experimenting.’ As the delegates filtered out into Florence’s evening sunshine, surrounded by art on every corner, it seemed creativity might still be the most important factor after all.
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Peter Lindbergh, Jean Paul Gaultier & Nadja Auermann, Paris, 2015 , © Peter Lindbergh Studio, Paris / Gagosian Galler y; Graphic Design: Schmid / Widmaier
J E A N PA U L
Read all about it In 1983, Michael Jackson debuted his moonwalk on the Motown 25 TV special. It was also the day he sported a single white glove for the first time. The iconic glove became Jackson’s trademark and was later redesigned with crystals by Swarovski. Throughout its 120-year history, the crystal house has added sparkle to some of the world’s bestloved designs and collaborated with the biggest names in fashion, performance and architecture. In October, a stunning new book commemorating Swarovski’s collaborative history will be published. Swarovski: Celebrating a History of Collaborations in Fashion, Jewelry, Performance and Design includes previously unseen photography and features by experts such as fashion journalist Suzy Menkes and design critic Alice Rawsthorn.
Work it
Breaking glass
‘Wearable tech’ is a growing trend combining fashion and state-of-the-art technology in everyday accessories. Ever the trailblazer, Swarovski has teamed up with Misfit, a Californiabased company specializing in wearable products, to create the groundbreaking Swarovski Shine Collection. Each item in the range syncs up wirelessly to a smartphone, enabling the wearer to track their daily activity and the technology is embedded into a striking precision-cut crystal. A solar-powered line will be launched later this year.
The new Punk Glam collection by Chilli Beans, the Brazilian accessories giant with more than 700 outlets worldwide, takes inspiration from the rebellious spirit of cult films Natural Born Killers and A Clockwork Orange. Created in partnership with Swarovski, a line of fabulous crystal-studded eyewear and watches was unveiled in true rock’n’roll style at April’s São Paulo Fashion Week, when punk icon Iggy Pop, sporting a crystal-encrusted blazer, deliberately destroyed a giant-sized pair of the brand’s sunglasses on stage.
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Inside out The Atelier Collection by La Perla marks an evolution for the iconic Italian lingerie brand. The stunning new pieces explore the idea of sensuality through layers, making use of luxury textures such as Swarovski crystal embellishment, frivolous feathers and pure gold thread. Lingerie staples such as the bra and bustier are combined with wardrobe updates such as hooded robes, silk and satin bodysuits and wide-legged organza trousers, which can also be worn over other garments. Each item is crafted using artisan methods such as ‘frastaglio’ – traditional Florentine embroidery stitched entirely by hand.
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The seal of authenticity To commemorate Swarovski’s 120th anniversary, VIP guests were invited to Wattens in Austria, where two days of festivities were held at the revamped Swarovski Kristallwelten, or Crystal Worlds. One of the event’s highlights was a specially constructed sparkling carousel, left, which was used to showcase an array of classic and contemporary crystal-encrusted pieces, some of which came from the company’s archives The two-day event was a double celebration, because Swarovski’s new Ingredient Branding program was unveiled at the same time. Crystals used by collaborative partners are now accredited with a stylish hologram seal, left, emblazoned with the words ‘Crystals from Swarovski’ and a unique identification code that serves as a certificate of authenticity.
Asiatiger.com.hk; Klaus Maislinger
Best foot forward Italian designer René Caovilla draws on decades of tradition, knowledge and handcrafting experience to create his house’s couture footwear. In a collaboration with Blitz, the creative arm of online retail giants Lane Crawford, the company has launched a capsule collection of contemporary shoes encrusted with Swarovski crystals. Classic Brilliant is a stylish reimagining of traditional designs, including prett y thong sandals, right, and the androgynous Oxford lace-up and classic Mary Jane.
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New wave Swarovski Waterschool celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2015. The program was founded in 2000 to promote the education of children about the world’s most precious resource and to provide their families with clean drinking water and sanitation. Over the past 15 years, it has helped more than 200,000 youngsters in river-based communities, right, across five countries. To mark this milestone birthday, Waterschool employees joined forces to undertake fundraising initiatives with the aim of raising both resources and awareness of the project on a global scale.
Show and tell Swarovski pulled out all the stops for the sixth edition of World Jewelry Facets, which was hosted in Shanghai’s historic Bund 22 in June. The annual event showcases the work of the crystal house’s partners as well as its own continuing artistry and technical innovation. This year’s show coincided with Swarovski’s 120th anniversary and, to celebrate, a one-off exhibition was held. It told the story of the company’s heritage through examples of famous collaborations from the past, alongside contemporary collections, below, and interactive artworks.
Anton Heunis
Body language When Australian couture-jewelry brand House of Emmanuele unveiled its spring/summer 2016 Salome’s Treasures line, it received the highest amount of ‘likes’ and comments in Swarovski’s Instagram history. The extravagant pieces, designed to adorn hands and feet, are crafted with large crystals in Blush Pink and Metallic Sunshine Gold hues, above. The range has already been snapped up by social-media queen Sydney Fashion Blogger, aka Antoinette-Marie Koulas, so expect her legion of fans worldwide to follow suit soon.
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TREND REPORT
Pattern and embellishment took the London catwalk by storm, with designers eschewing the usual muted palette of autumn/winter for bold colors and intricately embroidered jacquard prints in jewel-toned satin.
Clockwise from top left: Huishan Zhang, Mary Katrantzou, Peter Pilotto, Ashley Williams, Marques’ Almeida, Huishan Zhang, Peter Pilotto, Ashley Williams, Marques’Almeida, Mary Katrantzou, Marques’Almeida, Huishan Zhang
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TREND REPORT
Imaxtree.com; Dan Lecca/Catwalking.com; Jason Lloyd-Evans; Etienne Tordoir/Catwalkpictures.com; Sonny Vandevelde
The Milan shows embraced statement looks with cursive slogans and loud patterns, but the aesthetic was softened by romantic touches: think ladylike dresses alongside trouser suits adorned in crystal and grown-up glitter.
Clockwise from top left: Dolce & Gabbana, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Cristiano Burani, Blumarine, Aquilano Rimondi, Alberto Zambelli, Giorgio Armani, Giorgio Armani, Blumarine, Leitmotiv, Fausto Puglisi
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TREND REPORT
Strength and sensuality were the themes of the Paris runway, with flashes of the ubiquitous 1970s trend. Peek-a-boo tailoring, metallic mesh and even crystal face embellishment kept the looks modern and striking.
Clockwise from top left: Christian Wijnants, Iris van Herpen, Alexis Mabille, Masha Ma, Christian Wijnants, Balmain, Givenchy, Christian Wijnants, Iris van Herpen, Balmain
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TREND REPORT
Getty Images; Imaxtree.com; Dan Lecca/Catwalking.com; Jason Lloyd-Evans; Sonny Vandevelde
The New York runway paid homage to fashion’s most iconic decades, showing shimmering 1920s-style flapper dresses laden with fringing and crystal detailing all the way through to subtle takes on 1970s glamour.
Clockwise from top left: Rodarte, Tim Coppens, Creatures of the Wind, Prabal Gurung, Prabal Gurung, Misha Nonoo, Wes Gordon, Rodarte, Rodarte, Wes Gordon
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Swarovski has been responsible for the set design of Hollywood’s legendary Dolby Digital Theater for the past eight Oscars, and the splendor of this year’s Academy Awards ceremony was the company’s most accomplished to date. Production designer Derek McLane employed more than 95,000 precision-cut crystals across 22 set pieces, which included 18 opera boxes and the huge ‘close-down wall’ centerpiece, above, that took nine artisans 580 hours to assemble.
French twist To celebrate the opening of its new boutique in the ultra-stylish Marais district, J.Crew created for its Parisian customers a limited-edition shirt in collaboration with French marineclothing label Saint James. The new store has a while-you-wait service that can appliqué motifs and phrases, embellished with Swarovski crystals, left, on to items of clothing.
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Bryan Derballa; Daniele Oberrauch/Imaxtree.com
Oscars opulence
Crystal landmark
In great shape
The glittering metropolis of Dubai is to have a new palace in the near future. Sparkle Towers at the Dubai Marina – artist’s impression, above and right – designed by leading developers Tebyan, will confound even those accustomed to luxury, and Swarovski was instrumental in its interior design. Branded as Space Marveled By Swarovski, it will meld glamour with innovation and incorporate bespoke crystalline lighting fixtures, embellished artworks and crystal-inlaid surfaces.
Distinctively shaped and as white as freshly fallen snow, the edelweiss flower epitomizes the beauty of Austria. So, when Daniel Swarovski launched his precision-cut crystal factory 120 years ago, he decided to choose his country’s national flower as its logo, bottom. While both the symbol and the brand have evolved over time, heritage remains integral to Swarovski. In celebration of its 120th birthday, the company has released the commemorative Edelweiss cut, as well as a crystal in the shape of the famous infinity symbol, to represent Swarovski’s timeless nature. The two cuts form an exciting collection that celebrates the past and embraces the future, and are available in a variety of colors and shapes.
Fashion forward Next Generation is an illustrious annual competition for budding young graduates of Italy’s top design schools. Now in its ninth year, it is organized by Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, and the winners are invited to create a 12-outfit line to be shown during Milano Moda Donna. Always keen to back the next generation, Swarovski supplied crystals to finalists Claudio Cutugno and Luca Lin (whose design is pictured left), who showed their debut collections in February.
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Sequined taffeta kimono-coat, designed by Lanvin in 1937
Uncommon threads One of fashion’s most visionary and critically acclaimed curators, Olivier Saillard is relentlessly innovative in devising new ways to exhibit Words Natasha Fraser Cavassoni
Anne de Vandière; Katerina Jebb
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hen it comes to curating exhibitions, Olivier Saillard is undoubtedly the fashion world’s wunderkind. He’s the man responsible for two hit shows that wowed Paris this summer: Jeanne Lanvin at the Palais Galliera and Yves Saint Laurent 1971: the Scandal Collection at the Fondation Pierre Bergé. Ever since he took on the role of conservator at Marseilles’ Musée de la Mode in 1995, he has proved that a fashion exhibition can be so much more than just a drab, two-dimensional line-up of dresses viewed behind glass. ‘Fashion’s closer to painting and sculpture,’ the 48-year-old reasons. ‘So I do everything to allow the designs to breathe as well as show
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off their backs and their profiles. Clothing is worn against the body, and that intimacy needs to be captured.’ Such an innovative attitude has led to unforgettable exhibitions showcasing Yohji Yamamoto, Madame Grès, Cristóbal Balenciaga and Azzedine Alaïa, as well as the exceptional Paris Haute Couture at the Hôtel de Ville in 2013, which was sponsored by Swarovski. Saillard is quick to point out the extraordinary role the crystal house has played in his work. ‘Without Swarovski, the Paris Haute Couture show simply wouldn’t have happened, and nor would Jeanne Lanvin,’ he says. ‘The company is so generous, as well as being armed with terrific intentions and savoir faire.’ He also appreciates its deep roots in fashion.
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‘Exhibitions allow the general public to dream. They’re seeing these extraordinary clothes up close for the very first time, and that stirs the imagination’
From top: Lanvin designs on display at Paris’s Palais Galliera; Hermès’ quirky Wanderland show at the Saatchi Gallery, London Opposite, from top: Bejeweled shoes from Alexander McQueen’s A/W10 collection, exhibited in Savage Beauty; Lanvin’s ‘Vogue’ swimsuit in silk from 1924, encrusted with tiny mirrors and Swarovski crystals
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Pierre Antoine; Katerina Jebb; Claire Pignol/Galliera/Roger-Viollet
‘It has been supplying crystals to French haute couture since 1895, and that strikes the right note.’ The popularity of London’s recent crop of groundbreaking exhibitions, among them Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the V&A and Hermès’ Wanderland at the Saatchi Gallery, does not surprise him. ‘Such shows allow the general public to dream,’ he says. ‘Unless they work in fashion, they’re often seeing these extraordinary clothes up close for the first time and, obviously, that stirs the imagination.’ And Instagram and other social-media platforms, he says, have fed our fascination, not to mention our ease, with fashion. ‘People aren’t intimidated, as they might be by a contemporary-art exhibition,’ he maintains. ‘There’s no intellectual pressure to “understand” clothes and that opens the door to simple enjoyment and escapism.’ It’s vitally important, Saillard believes, to maintain the momentum. ‘To avoid overkill, museums need to focus not just on one designer, but instead stage more collective or thematic exhibitions,’ he explains. He also proposes placing fashion within its historical context. At the Palais Galliera, where he is director, he is planning an exhibition about the Comtesse de Greffulhe, the renowned 19th-century beauty who was queen of the salons of the Faubourg Saint-Germain in Paris, and greatly inspired Marcel Proust. His other ideas for the future include ‘mixing the mediums, and bringing in music and art’; an exhibition that revolves around a personality known for their elegance; and pitting the style of one couturier against another. ‘I’d love to see a face-off between Balenciaga and Dior,’ he says. ‘Rather like that Matisse and Picasso show at the Grand Palais in 2002.’ The Jeanne Lanvin show (on until 23rd August), which is being staged in partnership with Alber Elbaz, Lanvin’s artistic director, has seen a steady f low of 10,000 visitors each week. ‘That’s huge for a fashion
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exhibition,’ says Saillard. He admits he’d initially dismissed the designer for ‘being boring and too directed by her clients’, but, while preparing his now-historic Madame Grès show at the Musée Bourdelle in 2011, repeatedly came across work by Lanvin that changed his mind. ‘There was a really good balance of cut, design and embroidery,’ he recalls. Swarovski crystal-encrusted highlights in the Lanvin collection include the Bel Oiseau gown, on which a glittering bird stretches from the shoulder to the waist; the La Duse, an absinthe-green embellished tulle dress; and the mirror-accented Vogue swimsuit. That each design is so elaborate is the secret of its success in the exhibition, because, says Saillard, ‘It’s those really sensational pieces that most appeal to the museum-attending crowd.’
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Little treasures With designers lining up to fill the enviable wardrobes of celebrity offspring, parents have never had more choice when it comes to dressing their children Words Clare Coulson
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f you don’t have toddlers, tweens or teens, you could be blissfully unaware of a revolution that’s taken place over the past decade. Upscale childrenswear has become big business. The market in the UK alone is worth £5.6bn annually and rising fast, as doting parents, godparents and grandmas splurge on everything from limited-edition Bugaboos to designer diaper bags. In the 6,100sq m Harrods childrenswear department or booming online stores such as AlexandAlexa, where more than 200 designer brands jostle for attention on a site billed as ‘Net-a-Porter for under-14-year-olds’, the days of patched corduroy hand-me-downs are but a distant baby-boomer memory. So, what’s changed? Well, there are now greater numbers of older and wealthier parents – and a growing band of both established and new designer brands keen to capture that market. However, it’s the celebrity offspring in the media, daily sporting the latest must-haves, that have given the category such broad appeal. While Harper Beckham (in cutwork tunic, traditional leather sandals and pigtails) co-hosts trunk shows with her mother in LA, little North West (in modish black and custom-made Céline, Lanvin, Givenchy or Alexander Wang) is busy helping her own mom launch the latest business enterprise of America’s most talkedabout family: Kardashian Kids. ‘Mini-me style is a real focus for designer brands,’ says AlexandAlexa buyer Beth Clifton. ‘Parents love that their favorite prints and shapes are available to purchase for their little doppelgängers. They’re savvy enough to make their own choices as to what to buy, but role models still have an inf luence. We saw a spike in sales, for example, when North West was seen wearing Mini Melissa shoes.’ This is not a new trend, of course – the American couturier Charles James was creating childrenswear back in 1956, and Jeanne Lanvin several decades before that. Baby Dior launched in 1967 and, 10 years later, Ralph Lauren joined the fray. But the new millennium saw many more brands – Cavalli, Moschino, Hugo Boss, Missoni and Burberry among them – play with their design DNA. This fall’s Junior Gaultier line sees the designer’s signature stripes emblazoned with superheroes and graphic prints, and both Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs have distilled the urban cool of their mainline collections into perfectly pitched and reasonably priced clothes for kids.
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Opposite: A Swarovski crystal-encrusted dress by Hugo Boss This page: Frou-frou embellished girls’ partywear by French luxury label Tartine et Chocolat
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Arguably, it’s the Italians and French who create the most elegant designerwear for children. Italian label Simonetta began life in the 1950s as a small dressmaker’s shop. Recognized as one of the first girls’ couturiers, today it also acts as the design house for childrenswear lines from brands such as Roberto Cavalli and Fendi Kids. Then there’s Tartine et Chocolat, founded almost 40 years ago by Frenchwoman Catherine Painvin – it set the pace for quietly luxurious clothes. This fall, its offering includes girlish dresses in powdery pinks with ruff les, lace and Swarovski crystals – a twinkling addition marked by a Crystals from Swarovski hologram seal that has a unique tracking number. But it’s the up-and-coming labels that are bringing a freshness to the market. London brand Hucklebones is typical of this new wave, combining beautiful fabrics and intricate details – such as the Swarovski crystalencrusted collars that adorn its party dresses – with clean shapes. ‘The kidswear market is a few years behind women’s fashion,’ adds Clifton. ‘But it will emulate the women’s, becoming ever more premium and international.’ Watch out, Harper and North – the competition is about to get a lot more intense.
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Size XERO
Swarovski’s latest innovation is the world’s
smallest precision-cut crystal, which has to be seen to be believed Words Henry Farrar-Hockley Photography Andy Barter
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ne of the ways of measuring crystals is to use the Pearl Plate scale – a system that was originally used to grade dived pearls. The crystals are placed on a surface peppered with holes and their size is recorded based on the diameter of the gap they eventually fall through. At the larger end of the scale – PP33, to be precise – they measure between 4.1 and 4.2mm, while at the opposite end, PP1, they are just 0.9mm across. It is at this microscopic level that Swarovski has crafted XERO, a new grade of chaton made using Advanced Crystal technology, which complies with the highest quality standards set by the house. With its PP rating of 0 – hence the name – and weighing less than 0.3mg, it’s an astonishing 20 per cent smaller than Swarovski’s previous crystalline beneficiary of the accolade ‘world’s
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smallest’. To put it into perspective, a single XERO Chaton is around the size of a pen tip and so minute it will fit between the lines of a fingerprint. If the potential of an eight-facet chaton so tiny is conversely vast, the immediate applications are likewise manifold – not least because this new benchmark for crystals is available in 13 contrasting colors that can be layered to create captivating, threedimensional patterns. Whether it is used to embellish the frames of haute-couture eyewear, add aesthetic splendor to statement jewelry or enhance the case design of a fine wristwatch, the XERO’s unique structural appeal is already setting it apart. It has been utilized to great effect, for instance, in the latest watch collection from Michael Kors. Meanwhile, Studio Swine – the duo that was the recent recipient of the prestigious Designer of the
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Future award – is integrating the chatons into its next project. Also available in the ‘larger’ size of PP1, which measures a lofty 0.8–0.9mm, the XERO can be used to pursue a seemingly endless array of creative possibilities. They range from a mesmerizing shimmer effect when it is applied as micro-pavé in an all-over crystal encrustation, to the application of intricate letters and symbols – all guaranteeing equally dazzling results. And the answer to the question as to how one can apply something so tiny? It’s all down to Swarovski’s lower-viscosity CG 610-240 glue, which will vastly simplify the process of both handling and applying such miniscule yet high-quality crystals, particularly when it is used with the new chaton sieve for small sizes. The XERO: small, yet perfectly formed, as the adage goes.
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The silo treatment Giorgio Armani has created a new exhibition space
in Milan for future generations to enjoy. Welcome to Armani/Silos, where light and reflection take center stage Words Peter Howarth
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Davide Lovatti
n May, Giorgio Armani opened a new exhibition space in Milan. This year sees the 40th anniversary of the Armani brand, and, to mark this, he wanted to give something back to the city he says ‘has been such a good home to me’. By good fortune, 2015 is also the year of the Expo in Milan, for which he is special ambassador, so it seems as if the stars have aligned for the man who is arguably the world’s most famous fashion designer. The building is called Armani/Silos in reference to its former history as a grain store. It was built in 1950 and Armani has retained its shape, which evokes that of a beehive – ‘for me, it was symbolic of industriousness’, he explains. His Armani/Casa design studio has renovated and redesigned the structure so it can house permanent and temporary exhibitions, focusing on the volume of the space, rather than on any fussy decorative details that might distract from the pieces on show. The result is an atmospheric environment that ranges over four floors, with a light-filled central well. With its austere simplicity and monochromatic use of concrete, it is perfectly emblematic of Armani’s stripped-back aesthetic. The opening exhibition, still on show, is of Armani’s archive – pieces he has designed over the past 40 years. However, Silos is by no means intended to be a space solely dedicated
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Opposite: Florals and Eastern-inspired designs in the Exoticism section at Armani/Silos This page: The concrete entrance hall, with its strippedback aesthetic
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Davide Lovatti; SGP Srl
to his own work. The plan is to hold visiting exhibitions here, and one of the most important functions of the place is that it should become a center for students and the general public alike. For this reason, part of the fourth f loor is dedicated to a study area featuring work screens, touch-screen tables and large-screen projection where people can access Armani’s digital archive – sketches, videos, photography and information about his methods. ‘I do hope this will become a useful resource, particularly for the next generation of those interested in pursuing a career in fashion,’ he says. The inaugural display is of the designer’s work, and the intention was to show ‘the range and depth’ of the aesthetic he has established over four decades. ‘In revisiting my archive and curating these outfits, I was faced with the question of how to organize the exhibits,’ he explains. ‘The obvious route would have been to adopt a chronological approach. But that didn’t
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Opposite, from top: A deconstructed approach to tailoring is celebrated in the Daywear section; a display of elegant Armani accessories This page: The industrial exterior of Armani/Silos, formerly a 1950s grain store
strike me as the most interesting way to represent my work.’ In the end, he settled on four ‘Chapters’, which are each given a f loor. The first, unsurprisingly, is Daywear – ‘I made my name by developing a deconstructed approach to tailoring for men and women that is based on a simple, elegant androgyny,’ he says. The other three areas, however, may come as a surprise. Exoticism shows his work with f lorals and the strong inf luence non-Western cultures have had on the Armani collections – dresses recalling African kaftans, Indian pajamas and skirts, Punjabi collarless shirts and Pakistani tunics. ‘Then, though I am proud of my habitual palette of neutrals and naturals, and the fact that “greige” is a term often applied to the tone of my work, I have put together a whole section on Color,’ he says. ‘Here, I explore the ways I’ve matched black with primary hues, or used tiny motifs, giant patterns and bold graphics. The red I’ve used to create my coral palette and monochromatic painting is inspired in equal parts by nature and culture, and slightly toned down with black. Shades of blue, from midnight to purplish hues, are a recurring theme.’ If this experimentation with color requires visitors to reassess their opinion of Armani, then those who might consider him a maker of subdued, rigorous daywear will be even more disconcerted by the top floor, which is organized around the theme of Light. Here, layers and layers of sheer fabrics – organza, chiffon, tulle – in soft white, with hints of pink, create sensual nuances of nude. The pearly reflections and silver transparencies add an other-worldly dimension to a look that is almost luminous. And it is here that crystals come into their own. ‘I have long been fascinated by how light plays on clothes – how it is ref lected and refracted, and how a garment is transformed by the use of jewel-like embellishment,’ says Armani. Skirts and bodices are adorned with intricate patterns of beads concealed beneath a thin layer of sheer tulle, adding a touch of mystery. Delicate as the f lap of a butterf ly’s wing, these clothes are iridescent – a perfect blend of opacity and transparency. And everywhere you see crystals, glittering subtly, creating a sense of movement and elegant dynamism. This is the sometimes hidden face of Armani – still restrained, but ethereal, feminine, captivating. Armani/Silos is at 40 via Bergognone, Milan; armanisilos.com
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© 2015 D. Swarovski Distribution GmbH, Swarovskistraße 30, 6112 Wattens, Austria
HANDPICKED LUXURY FA SHION JEWELLERY
AUSTRIA
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A ZERBAIJAN
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CHINA
SH O P O N L I N E W W W.C A D E N Z Z A .CO M
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GERMANY
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U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S
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UNITED KINGDOM J E W E L L E RY BY C RY S TA L L I Z E D, TO M SH OT A N D K E N N E T H JAY L A N E
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C RY S TA LC T I T E P E N DA N T D E S I G N E D BY M A I S O N M A R G I E L A F O R S WA R OV SK I ®
Surface value
By focusing on elaborate embellishment, Peter Pilotto is exploring new facets of design to magnificent effect Words Natalie Rigg
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n just eight years, Christopher de Vos and Peter Pilotto have enlivened the world of modern fashion with their kaleidoscopic womenswear label Peter Pilotto. Splashing eye-catching graphics over jaunty, square-cut silhouettes, the East London-based design duo is credited with spearheading the digital-print revolution that surged through the international style scene like a Technicolor trip in 2007. ‘Pushing the boundaries of digital printing was a first back then and it was so exciting for us,’ affirms Pilotto in his soft Austrian accent, adding: ‘But funnily enough, we never classified ourselves as a print brand.’ Spirited and vibrant, it’s hardly surprising that Peter Pilotto’s Instagram-worthy collections – which are shown each season at London Fashion Week – have garnered global
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acclaim from a coterie of fashion inf luencers and A-list admirers, including actors Diane Kruger and Carey Mulligan. Yet, beyond the red-carpet rapture and healthy international sales, this emerging British house is keen to evolve by exploring new creative treatments. ‘As we’ve grown, we’ve wanted to broaden our design language and find new ways of expressing ourselves through fashion,’ reveals Pilotto. This innovative spirit resonates throughout the team’s recent spring/ summer 2015 and autumn/winter 2015 offerings, which show a shift in focus from the signature prints to ornate surface adornments. ‘We’ve been able to create new textural combinations, which is such a cool development for us,’ says Pilotto. In myriad sizes and colors, Swarovski crystals play a resplendent role in
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the looks, delicately sewn atop plush knitwear, embroidered pencil skirts and neat, crushed-velvet appliqué jackets. ‘Using these iconic stones in unexpected ways has been a great challenge for us. We wanted the overall impression to be playful and unusual, and to surprise our customers by using the material in daytime separates, rather than just evening dresses,’ he explains. The collaboration with Swarovski was further cemented this May, after Peter Pilotto was named the inaugural recipient of the Swarovski Collective Award. ‘It’s such an honor because Swarovski is an iconic partner, and it allows us to keep on pioneering new materials and techniques, which are integral to our future,’ enthuses Pilotto. ‘I hope our clothes continue to make the Peter Pilotto woman feel strong and empowered.’ Hear, hear.
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Finishing touch Embroidered angora, embellished organza and appliquÊd denim – the new Peter Pilotto look is a sensory overload Photography Ivan Ruberto Styling Nobuko Tannawa
Opposite: Bouclé textured wool-knit top and wool-crêpe skirt; large necklace with hand-applied multicolored Swarovski crystals and ruthenium finish, Atelier Swarovski by Philippe Ferrandis This page: Wool-crêpe top and shorts with hand-stitched wool and sequin embroidery and Swarovski crystals
Brushed angora-knit top and wool-guipure skirt with embroidered flower appliquĂŠ and Swarovski crystals
Opposite: Wool-crĂŞpe dress with hand-stitched wool and sequin embroidery and Swarovski crystals This page: Guipure-lace dress with Perspex embellishment and Swarovski crystals
This page: Denim top with guipure-lace banding and denim trousers, both with floral silicone appliqué and Swarovski crystals Opposite: Metallic jacquard gilet, and holographic organza dress with geometric hand-embroidery and Perspex embellishment, both with floral silicone appliqué and Swarovski crystals Photographer’s assistant: Piero Malvestio Bressan; stylist’s assistant: Charlie Carter; set designer: Georgina Pragnell at Webber Represents; set designer’s assistant: Jack George; hairstylist: Maarit at D+V Management; make-up artist: Celia Burton; manicurist: Michelle Humphrey at LMC; model: Emma Champtaloup at Viva
FUTURE PERFECT Four young creatives were the recipients of a coveted award that, as well as spotlighting the ones to watch, saw them collaborate with Swarovski for Design Miami/ Basel
Words Emma O’Kelly
James Harris
In 2015, Swarovski – a long-time supporter of Design Miami/ – began a three-year partnership to present the Designers of the Future Award. ‘You just need to look at some of the strong voices in the field today – Max Lamb, Bethan Laura Wood, Philippe Malouin [all laureates] – to see it has a great history,’ says Rodman Primack, executive director of the global forum, which founded the prize in 2006. Every year, a handful of bright young things working in furniture, products or technology are given a dedicated booth at Design Miami/ in which to exhibit. Alexander Groves and Azusa Murakami of Studio Swine, Elaine Yan Ling Ng, and Tomás Alonso were chosen by the 2015 panel, which included Wallpaper editor Tony Chambers; Yves Behar, founder of branding company Fuseproject; and Nadja Swarovski, Member of the Swarovski Executive Board. ‘The project didn’t have to be a “thing”,’ Primack explains. ‘It could be conceptual or non-commercial.’ In order to develop their work, the trio was invited to Swarovski’s headquarters in Austria. Having visited the research and development (R&D) labs and the company’s archives, all three were inspired to create pieces that employed crystals – and did so in truly boundary-pushing ways.
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Opposite and above: Elaine Yan Ling Ng created ‘Sundew’, using Swarovski Crystal Fabric fused with natural fibers, and took inspiration for her sculptures from a carnivorous plant
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ELAINE YAN LING NG
After graduating from Central Saint Martins with a master’s in Textile Futures in 2010, Elaine Yan Ling Ng set up a studio in Hong Kong. She experiments in creating fabric polymers and prototypes of new materials. ‘Wattens was breathtaking – you really get to see all the heritage, craftsmanship and engineering,’ she says. ‘My aunt thought I was born in the Chinese Year of the Mouse and bought me a Swarovski figurine. I’m actually an Ox, but I laughed when I saw the big crystal mouse sculpture in front of the headquarters.’ Ng wanted to present crystal in fluid form, so created 3m-high sculptures entitled ‘Sundew’ with her own engineered materials, which comprised Swarovski Crystal Fabric fused with natural fibers, polymers and reed. ‘The insecteating sundew plant was my starting point,’ she says. ‘It attracts insects with its scent, then secretes a fluid that melts them. My sculpture mimics the opening and closing of the tentacles.’ The piece is sound-activated and responds to the person viewing it. ‘It moves only when people interact with it,’ Ng explains. ‘The great thing is that Swarovski has been involved with so many collaborations before, it has a bank of resources. It didn’t say no to anything I asked.’
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STUDIO SWINE
Japanese architect Azusa Murakami and British artist Alexander Groves met at London’s Royal College of Art and formed Studio Swine in 2011. They have worked for the likes of Microsoft and Veuve Clicquot, and last year won acclaim for ‘Hair Highway’ – a collection of decorative objects made from resin and hair. ‘Swarovski is celebrating its 120th anniversary, so we decided to look 120 years into the future,’ says Groves. ‘We were inspired by the newly discovered planet 55 Cancri E, which is largely composed of diamonds and imagined a ‘Planet Swarovski’ that is being terraformed [made habitable for humans] by a male cartographer.’ A short film tells the story of the planet, with its crystal landscape, and focuses on three objects an inhabitant might own. ‘Dune’ is a wall-mounted clock filled with Swarovski’s 0.7mm XERO Chatons – the world’s smallest precision-cut crystals. ‘Dune Table’ comprises a glass, foam and brass lattice on which XERO crystal sand is subjected to sounds at different frequencies, which causes it to create constantly moving patterns. ‘Solaris’, finally, is a model of the solar system featuring Planet Swarovski. ‘Swarovski has a long tradition of creating beautiful fantasy worlds,’ Groves adds. ‘We were really impressed by Daniel Swarovski’s innovations in crystal and hope people will see some parallels with Planet Swarovski.’
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Opposite, from left: Studio Swine used frequencies to create patterns on ‘Dune Table’. This and the duo’s ‘Dune’ clock both make use of the groundbreaking new XERO Chaton This page: Tomás Alonso created bold color effects in his crystal desk accessories
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TOMÁS ALONSO
Spanish-born Alonso graduated with a master’s in Design Products from the Royal College of Art. He has created store interiors for Camper shoes, as well as furniture and tableware for Ikea, among others, and is a member of the collective Okay Studio. ‘In Wattens, I saw a crystal with a lovely blue color running through it. I discovered this was caused by the glue that held it together,’ Alonso says. ‘Swarovski has a really impressive R&D department dedicated to making special UV bonding formulas. Having looked through the archives and at its objects for the home, I started thinking that this area, and special gluing techniques, could be an interesting avenue to explore. ‘I also learnt that 47° is the angle at which ref lection changes to refraction – if you look at a crystal from this angle, it changes from see-through to ref lective.’ Giving it the name ‘47 Degrees’, Alonso created a collection of lights, mirrors and table-top accessories. All incorporate oversized pieces of crystal, cut at the said angle, and feature panels of vibrant color created by UV glue and Swarovski’s special coatings and effects. Many colors already exist, but he is eager to develop more. ‘We’ve been experimenting with using existing techniques in new ways,’ Alonso reveals. ‘Swarovski’s collaborative approach makes it an open, receptive partner.’
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Balmain army Not content with bringing a 70-year-old fashion house into the 21st century, creative director Olivier Rousteing is redefining his industry’s attitude to diversity, too Words Jo Craven
© Instagram/Balmain Paris; Instagram/Olivier Rousteing
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he creative director of Balmain may well be the most popular designer in the world, thanks to his one million-plus Instagram followers. Olivier Rousteing’s daily postings of selfies with his ‘#BalmainArmy’ offer a peek into an otherwise closed high-fashion universe. The fact that his friends – among them Kim Kardashian, Rihanna and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley – just happen to be the new generation of glittering global It-girls means their pooled social-media presence dominates the internet. But the friendships don’t stop there – they extend to starring in Balmain’s runway shows and advertising campaigns. And, like most armies, theirs is a force to be reckoned with. Rousteing has confidently reinvented the 70-year-old luxury brand, moving it on from its 1980s heyday of extreme shoulder pads to a more glamorous vision that chimes with the times. ‘I respect what came before me, but I wanted to change what Balmain means to people,’ he explains. Respectful of the past while building a future, he has also pulled off that most difficult of feats: winning accolades from the fashion press. Its grande dame, Suzy Menkes, the international fashion editor of
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Vogue, has credited him with ‘moving Balmain far away from the scruffydeluxe look of its revolutionary shift from classic to cool’. Rousteing, she says, ‘is taking that new image fast-forward on high-heeled shoes’. Balmain under Rousteing lets the clothes do the talking. As a child of the 1990s, his archive is rich in references to decades such as the 1970s, into which he injects new life. There’s always a get-up-and-go aspect to the designs – playsuits, belted waists, exuberant colors, or cool khaki with a healthy dose of shine. Never knowingly understated, embellishment is an essential tool in Balmain’s collections, which are positively encrusted with sparkling Swarovski crystals. The point is that they are fun – with a side order of guaranteed glamour. Nonetheless, despite his daring, the house is in safe hands. The French-born designer is as talented as he is outward-looking and energetic, and has his finger on the pulse of what tomorrow’s customer wants. While he says his ‘finishing school’ was his training at Roberto Cavalli, which is known for its sexy eveningwear, he credits his mother with his vision: ‘She was smart – women are running the world now.’ He designs for a woman who is bold
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and has something to say, and he is particularly keen for that remit to include women of diverse backgrounds and all skin colors. ‘To look cool, modern and young, a house needs to widen its range,’ he says, criticizing the often-narrow version of beauty presented on the runway. Diversity has always been poorly represented in fashion, but a glance at the Balmain catwalk reveals the most beautiful women in the world of every hue, such as Binx Walton and Adriana Lima, parading the most desirable pieces and ensuring the brand looks relevant. Rousteing is determined to change what he sees as a limited world-view of fashion that has little affinity with a younger, digital order and sneers snootily at reality-TV stars, overlooking the fact they’re hyper-successful businesswomen or, as in the case of the stars of his spring/summer 2015 menswear collections Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, among the most inf luential in the world. He’s on a mission, convinced that if fashion doesn’t start talking to a wider audience, it will die. But he walks the walk as well as talking the talk, and, with his BalmainArmy in the vanguard, knows that where they go, strong women are sure to follow.
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Swarovski Design Project winner Akiko Shinzato’s ‘Clown’
Jewels with purpose Taking the V&A exhibition as inspiration, Central Saint Martins students employed Swarovski crystals and extraordinary skill and imagination to pay homage to designer Alexander McQueen’s most daring works Words Elisa Anniss
Barney McCann
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he ideas were ingenious, the techniques intricate and the results intriguing – this year’s Swarovski Design Project at Central Saint Martins was one of the most ambitious collaborations that has ever been attempted between the college and the brand. Unconventional and thought-provoking, the cuttingedge creations of the 51 final-year BA Jewellery Design students included an ornate tam-o’-shanter, a futuristic cape and a unique, avian-inf luenced neckpiece that cleverly applied basket-weaving techniques to crystals.
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The source of inspiration for the project was Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty – the Swarovskisponsored summer blockbuster exhibition held at London’s V&A from March to August. Tasked with incorporating crystals in an interesting and unorthodox way, the students immersed themselves in McQueen’s aesthetic, enthused, no doubt, by his own association with Central Saint Martins. While still at the drawing-board phase, 10 designs were shortlisted and the finalists given Swarovski crystals and help with production costs.
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‘This was an opportunity to let their imaginations run wild,’ explains BA Jewellery Design course leader Caroline Broadhead, who has also overseen previous projects with Swarovski. ‘It takes imagination to take on the ideas and images of a creative powerhouse like McQueen, and they’ve really responded to the theatrical, the dark and the extravagant in his work.’ In May, the shortlisted pieces were displayed in a gallery within the V&A. This certainly upped the ante: in the 12 years the crystal house has worked with Central Saint Martins students, it was the first time that finalists had been exhibited in such a high-profile setting. A team from Swarovski gathered to assess each work, after which, at a public seminar entitled V&A Connects with Swarovski, the students talked about the inspiration for their creations. Finally, the winner, Akiko Shinzato, was announced and awarded a prize of £750. Nadja Swarovski was effusive in her praise: ‘We were delighted to see the level of skill and research that has gone into this year’s Swarovski Design Project,’ she said. ‘This new generation of talents used crystal and gemstones in the most innovative
‘The new generation of Central Saint Martins talents used crystal and gemstones in the most innovative ways, and their response to the theme was outstanding’
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Barney McCann; Takanori Okuwaki
ways, and their response to the theme was outstanding. I would like to congratulate Akiko on her unique piece, which showcased great design, use of material and craftsmanship.’ Shinzato’s ‘Clown’ was inspired by the image on the poster that advertised the exhibition and thus fulfilled the brief perfectly. ‘I’m so happy. I can’t believe I’ve won,’ she exclaimed. ‘I’ve been shortlisted in other competitions, but I’ve never won anything before. I kept asking myself, “What is savage beauty?” I found myself drawn to the make-up [worn by the model featured on the poster] and decided to create jewelry that was inspired by this.’ Her piece – an embellished leather half-mask emblazoned with oversized red lips – was inspired by the bandages used for plastic surgery, referencing McQueen’s abiding interest in the macabre. Encrusted with white crystals, it has a central bright red mouth motif created using chatons of varying sizes in four different shades. Unlike the perfect smile at the front, the crystals towards the back of the mask are sparser, petering out to reveal bare white leather, suggesting the impermanence of even artificially constructed beauty. Runners-up Dennis Song and Jessica Pass both took inspiration from McQueen’s fascination with birds. However, the neckpieces they produced couldn’t have been more different. ‘I was trying to illustrate desire eating a human soul,’ explains Song, adding that he designed the crystal-embellished, claw-like tentacles of his creation so they appeared to be consuming and strangling the wearer. Inspired by the surrealist elements of McQueen’s spring/summer 2001 catwalk show, entitled Voss, he used 3D-printing to fashion his piece, and painstakingly placed each of the 2,100 Swarovski crystals into hand-drilled holes. McQueen was fascinated by falconry. For her neckpiece, Pass was inspired by the feathers that featured
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throughout the V&A exhibition and also drew on her observations of pheasant-shooting in the Peak District, the rural region of England in which she grew up. The drape of a brace of pheasants informed her angular, hinged structure, which was created from brass and edged with Swarovski crystals that ref lected the color of the pheasant plumes placed within it. The Swarovski Design Project creations benefited from the same element of theater as McQueen’s collaborations with jeweler Shaun Leane and milliner Philip Treacy. The pair’s elaborate, show-stopping Bird’s Nest Headdress, which appears in the exhibition, made an unforgettable statement in his Widows of Culloden autumn/winter 2007 show, owing to the spectacular inclusion of woodcock wings and a silver nest filled with seven silver eggs inset with Swarovski crystals. Leane worked with McQueen for more than a decade, and together they created a series of provocative pieces that have become iconic symbols of runway jewelry. First introduced in 1994, the duo found themselves united by a shared passion for craftsmanship. Leane was working as a goldsmith in London’s famous Hatton Garden jewelry quarter when McQueen asked him to create his first collaborative piece: a large silver tusk earring for his second show, Hunger, in 1995. ‘When jewelry students see the works he and I created, I hope they’ll feel the energy of the times we were in – a time of innovation,’ says Leane, who recently gave a talk about his collaboration with McQueen as part of a Swarovskisponsored workshop series entitled the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Learning Program. ‘What moves me is that the reaction to these pieces is the same today as it was then. It’s a testament to his vision of pushing the boundaries of design and craft, and, most of all, of creating beautiful, timeless objects.’
Opposite, from top: Jessica Pass’s feather, crystal and brass neck adornment; Xinyu Wang's bold crystal-encrusted headpiece This page, from top: Kota Okuda’s embellished hat; a futuristic cape by Charlotte Asherson
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BREAKING the mold Reconfirming his reputation for defying convention, Jean Paul Gaultier’s latest couture shows – featuring Swarovski’s unorthodox Kaputt crystal – were as daringly conceived as ever Words Katie Baron
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n January, fashion’s favorite iconoclast, Jean Paul Gaultier, revealed his first couture collection after a ready-to-wear career that spanned almost four decades. He held an epic catwalkcum-cabaret of a show, the finale of which was a ticker-tape parade of golden confetti. His focus now is on a stratum of the industry currently reveling in relevancy, thanks to super-designers such as Raf Simons and Karl Lagerfeld, and it signaled a rebirth – not just for the genre, but also for Gaultier himself. The designer’s signature sense of wit and subversion was overtly present and correct in multiple guises in his spring/summer 2015 show – imagine tailoring with a dress on one side of the body and a suit on the other, blue jeans and baseball caps, and a cavalcade of alternative brides culminating in Naomi Campbell styled as the bouquet.
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However, it was also apparent in more nuanced ways, courtesy of a brand-new creation: the Kaputt crystal. Designed by Gaultier in collaboration with Swarovski, this tiny kernel of glamour was woven into many of the accessories on the runway. Swarovski painstakingly developed the technically complex Kaputt – German for ‘broken’ – over the course of a year. A highly unorthodox rendering of crystal, it was conceived to embody the notion of ‘perfect imperfection’ and encapsulate Gaultier’s lifelong celebration of unconventional beauty. Its six styles reference the irregular forms of pendants, square shapes and round stones, and are realized in contrasting matte and shiny metallic finishes such as Scarabaous Green. Hand-cut versions were created in one-off sizes for the show, with five destined for later reissue.
This page: The bespoke hand-cut Kaputt crystal styles Opposite: Jean-Paul Gaultier’s S/S15 show
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Romain-nicolas.com; Patrice Stable
The Kaputt is indicative of the designer’s trajectory away from the fashion industry’s usual punishing schedule – in his case, 18 collections a year – towards more specialist collaborative haute-couture projects. Team Gaultier has exclusive use of the design until September, after which it will enter into Swarovski’s crystal assortment as the latest exciting symbol of product innovation and couture-house partnership. In the meantime, having been reprised in Gaultier’s July couture show, the Kaputt will appear, along with a wealth of other Swarovski crystals, in the Paris and Munich legs of the celebrated exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk – a non-chronological showcase of the designer’s core themes, supported by a rich and eclectic swathe of material from his archives. The show is an ongoing ‘introspective’ of his vision, rather than a retrospective vista of past glories: ‘Jean Paul had never previously agreed to an exhibition of his work, as he thought those for living fashion designers looked like funerals,’ explains its curator, Thierry-Maxime Loriot. Its arrival at Paris’s Grand Palais represents its 10th global pit stop since 2010 and is something of a homecoming for Gaultier – and it’s one in which Swarovski has played an integral role. Loriot says the lure of couture, of creating ever more extreme fashion as a mode both of testing his audience’s limits and pushing industry boundaries, was always lurking in Gaultier’s background: ‘From his first job at the Pierre Cardin studio in 1970 to the presentation of his debut collection in 1976, he had ideas that were quite modern for his time, and still does. He worked with fabrics that weren’t meant for ready-to-wear let alone couture: a dress made from a trash bag; jewelry from tin cans; denim and camouf lage. Which explains why people sometimes didn’t get it until every other designer was using his ideas.’ Loriot believes Gaultier’s use of crystals evolved naturally. Even before his first couture line in 1997, he had created elaborate pieces featuring embroidery and embellishment that verged on haute couture: ‘Swarovski made it possible for him to try out new ideas – he used crystals to push his ideas further.’ Unlike most exhibitions, The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier is a world in f lux. The designer and curator adapt the content on the hoof not only to give an airing to a range of Gaultier’s most famous preoccupations –
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Opposite: Exhibits in The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition, including the Diamond Rocker biker jacket This page: Gaultier’s dramatic Crystal Mesh leopard-print jacket
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sailors, tattoos and a legion of wonderfully idiosyncratic muses feature heavily – but also to ref lect the cultural f lavor of each city they visit. For Paris, this meant the inclusion of three site-specific elements: a special installation in which visitors become Gaultier’s muses, the narration of the catwalk series of exhibits by screen icon Catherine Deneuve and a showcase of never-seen-together pieces featuring Swarovski crystals. Highlights included the embellished leopard-print Xenia and Mata Hari dresses from the autumn/winter 2013/14 collection, designed to mimic the markings of big cats; the Diamond Rocker – Gaultier’s reinterpretation of a classic biker jacket, reconstituted with denim and Crystal Spikes and Studs; and the Orange Baby Mesh dress – a shimmering crystal sheath created for French singer Mylène Farmer’s 2013 global tour – one in a long line of spectacular costumes that speak of his enduring romance with pop, as those made for Madonna and Kylie attest. After Munich – it arrives at the Kunsthalle in September – the show currently has no further planned stops, but with Asia not on the current schedule, Loriot intimates that it may be on the move once again, especially if the public appetite for extravaganzas that coax fashion beyond the rarefied world of the runway continues. ‘The internet has made people curious to see the real thing, to find out if these incredible creations are really possible,’ he says. And for Jean Paul Gaultier, what better catwalk than one that crosses the globe?
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Opposite: Fredrikson Stallard’s striking ‘Eden’ installation in Crystal Worlds' garden
WORLDS APART With extraordinary new works and dramatically expanded spaces, Swarovski’s Crystal Worlds in Wattens, Austria, is now an even more magical experience for its millions of visitors
David Schreyer
Words Robert Ryan
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aniel Swarovski began producing his celebrated crystals 120 years ago. The endless versatility of his creations – their ability to bend and magnify light, to take on hues imbued with either warmth or icy haughtiness, and to lend beauty and brilliance to both objects and people – was not lost on him. But even Daniel himself might doff his cap at the stunning multifaceted applications of his invention at Kristallwelten, or, as we know it in English, Crystal Worlds. The museum and park at Wattens, Austria, dates back to 1995, the company’s centenary. In one sense, it was built because of public demand, since many clients and admirers had asked to see where the famous Swarovski crystals were produced. But Crystal Worlds took the visitor experience far beyond a mere factory tour. Some of the most innovative contemporary creatives from across the globe worked on its exhibits and installations, and collectively they produced a celebration of the power of refracted light in its many guises. It was, literally, dazzling. Crystal Worlds very quickly grew to be the country’s number-one tourist attraction, having hosted more than 12 million visitors since it opened. However, like its parent company, Crystal Worlds did not rest on its laurels. Innovation was the key to Daniel’s success and it remains one of the most important elements in the Swarovski’s armory. The museum and park was closed for a time to allow for renovation and expansion, before opening again this spring, in time for its 20th anniversary – and Swarovski’s
Opposite: Andy Cao and Xavier Perrot’s ‘Crystal Cloud’
David Schreyer
This page, from top: Daniel’s Café and Restaurant, named after the Swarovski founder; ‘Silent Light’ by Tord Boontje and Alexander McQueen
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120th. It is now more of a treat for the senses than ever, international artists, architects and designers having contributed their expertise to the project, curated by Carla Rumler, the crystal house’s Cultural Director. The most striking, iconic image of the park has always been the green Giant, which spouts water dramatically from its mouth. While the landscaped area in which it is situated has almost doubled in size, from 3.5 to 7.5 hectares, one thing remains the same: the key to the entire Crystal Worlds experience lies within the Giant's head, in the Chamber of Wonders. Here, visitors will find old favorites, such as the astonishing ‘Crystal Dome’, inspired by Buckminster Fuller and Brian Eno’s marvelously meditative sound-and-vision piece ‘55 Million Crystals’. But there are five thrilling new areas to explore too, one of which, ‘Studio Job Wunderkammer’, or Chamber of Wonders, draws its power from its very name. The term comes from the Renaissance practice of creating a dedicated room to display remarkable objects, such as precious jewels, stuffed animals, intricate artworks, scientific items and mechanical toys. Studio Job’s room is an immersive experience. There are no corners – just an initially overwhelming cornucopia of objects, shapes, colors and music. It speaks of fairgrounds, funfairs and circuses. ‘We wanted it to be round so it suggested the highest room in a fantasy castle,’ says Job Smeets of the design studio. ‘And we tried to be democratic – you don’t need to know the history of applied art to appreciate it, but if you look closely, those techniques are there. It’s all about layers.’ And
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The most innovative creatives worked on Crystal Worlds’ exhibits and installations, collectively producing a celebration of the power of refracted light in its many guises
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Opposite from top: Lee Bul’s spectacular ‘Into Lattice Sun’; the new children’s play tower This page: The entrancing Studio Job Wunderkammer
David Schreyer
the crystals? ‘They represent the bright, shiny things that, like magpies, we collect in life.’ There’s another narrative beneath the gaiety, though: a poignant appreciation of how childhood doesn’t last forever. ‘Yes,’ agrees Smeets. ‘You always have to say goodbye.’ While the Chamber of Wonders draws on a mostly Victorian/Edwardian iconography, Fredrikson Stallard’s ‘Eden’ is altogether more primeval. It consists of a stark, angular forest of polished brass ‘trees’, infinity mirrors and the sight and sound of rushing water (they recorded a local waterfall). Unexpected eruptions of light emanate from the biggest crystals Swarovski has ever created, including one 1.86m tall. ‘The crystals represent life in the forest,’ says co-designer Patrik Fredrikson. ‘Visitors might see animals in them, or exotic f lowers.’
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As Ian Stallard adds: ‘The idea of a walk in a darkened wood is universal, tapping into our most primitive memories, and everyone will bring something different to the journey. We would like people to leave with a sense of calm, but also of wonder.’ In a third new space, South Korean artist Lee Bul plays with perspective. Here, dimensions are either distorted or extended. Unlike ‘Eden’, her piece, ‘Into Lattice Sun’ – a pathway through cascading crystals that sometimes stream down like a crystalline computer code – resembles an urban landscape. ‘I tackle the perpetual questions of time and space and use crystals to evoke modern architecture,’ says Bul. ‘But I hope visitors will also come up with their own interpretation of the work.’ Different again is ‘Silent Light’, created by Tord Boontje and Alexander McQueen in 2003 and previously displayed in the foyer of the V&A in London. Its central tree is made up of 150,000 crystals and is reminiscent of a frozen world, a mini-Narnia, with all the magic and adventure that suggests. ‘Timeless’, meanwhile, by design company HG Merz, is an ingeniously staged history of the company from 1895 to the present day: from grinding stones to dressing stars and from a tiny valley to a commitment to ecology and conservation on a global scale. The Chamber of Wonders isn’t the only part of Crystal Worlds to be revitalized, however. Out in the extensively remodeled gardens stands the enormous ‘Crystal Cloud’, by Andy Cao and Xavier Perrot. The pair specialize in ‘making places for dreaming’, that ‘blur the line between art and landscape’ – and it does both those things. An apparently f loating cluster of light consisting of 800,000 hand-sewn Swarovski crystals, like a constellation of distant stars, hovers above a black Mirror Pool. The pool ref lects this luminous nebula as if it were the night sky – even in broad daylight. Add to that 2,000 dancing ‘firef lies’ – crystals again, of course – and it is an unforgettable spectacle. There is a lot more to this new era: other eye-catching alfresco installations, improved dining and shopping experiences, a display of the Roman coins found during the recent excavations, a four-f loor play-tower for children and an exciting ongoing program of seasonal events. Wherever you look in Crystal Worlds, the visitor will discover that, as they have for the past 120 years, the three watchwords of Swarovski – quality, craftsmanship and creativity – still hold sway.
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Shape of the future Photography Kate Jackling Set design Annette Masterman Styling Ursula Lake
Kalix crystal chaindetail necklace and cuff, both Atelier Swarovski
Opposite: Crystal cuff and necklace, both Atelier Swarovski by Philippe Ferrandis This page: Crystal bracelet, stacking ring and ring, all Christian Dior
Crystal doublefinger ring and collar necklace with crystal drops, both Alexander McQueen
This page: Enamel and crystal floral rings, both Roberto Cavalli Opposite: Dramatic crystal necklace, CGB
Opposite: Amalia crystal cuff, Otazu at Cadenzza This page: Crystal drop earrings and ring, both Vicki Sarge Photographer’s assistants: Jake Turney and Hannah Rose Digital operator: Brian Cleaver Set designer’s assistant: Holly McCulloch
LET THERE BE LIGHT
Swarovski’s inf luence in the design world is as diverse
as it is far-reaching, and it remains at the forefront of international innovation and reinvention through both its own creations and its many and varied collaborations Words Emma O’Kelly
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or as long as I can remember, Swarovski has had a seat at Salone del Mobile’s top table. I was at the first Swarovski Crystal Palace project in Milan in 2002, for which 10 designers – among them Tord Boontje and Nigel Coates – ‘reinvented’ the chandelier. Assigned back then to crumbling palaces and dusty country houses, the chandelier was a relic of the past. Swarovski brought it back to life and, every year, Swarovski Crystal Palace dazzled us all with its innovation. In 2004, I was among the huge crowd sending text messages to Ron Arad’s ‘Lolita’ light and watching the words repeated in LEDs on the chandelier’s crystal spiral. In 2008, I gathered with others to look for an image of the ‘Mona Lisa’ hidden in Paul Cocksedge’s ‘Veil’ curtain, embedded with 1,440 crystals. (It could be seen only when you looked at it through a mirror.) For nearly a decade, Swarovski held Salone’s most lavish parties: doormen held back queues of eager guests, cocktails f lowed and loose crystals were scattered like confetti throughout the exhibitions. One year, a former
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Opposite: Manooi’s ‘Artica’ chandelier, which symbolizes two galaxies embracing one another
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colleague stuffed them by the handful into her thigh-high Martin Margiela boots before hotfooting it like a sparkly Dick Whittington. Swarovski’s commitment to design is as steadfast as Germany’s allegiance to the euro. Its inf luence is beyond question. Before Nadja Swarovski appeared in Milan with her 107-year-old family company, architects wore suits and left parties before they had even started. Design was a tiny industry – fashion’s far-f lung cousin living in a backwater. Swarovski Crystal Palace, and its pairing of an upcoming designer with a heritage brand, was a breath of fresh air. It’s a formula that has since been copied by many a historical house in need of a face-lift, and those early collaborators – Zaha Hadid, Marcel Wanders, Ed Barber and Jay Osgerby – are now household names. Design and art fairs, too, have blossomed over the past decade, putting down roots in Miami, Shanghai, Cape Town and Hong Kong. And everywhere they’ve popped up, so too has Swarovski. This March saw the launch of new contemporary-art fair Art Central, to coincide
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Edmond Leong; Christopher Tak
with Art Basel Hong Kong. Its mission was to showcase upcoming talent. Swarovski partnered with the event, and commissioned interior designer Joyce Wang to create a light installation. Entitled ‘Oculus’, it features 60 crystal spikes and 300 chatons. Hong Kongbased Wang has a stellar CV (a double major in Architecture and Materials Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Masters from London’s Royal College of Art) and is just the sort of young designer Swarovski scouts out before propelling them to the top. At the next Art Basel Hong Kong, in March 2016, Design Miami/ will enter the fray. Its director Rodman Primack predicts the Asian edition will one day eclipse Miami. He explains: ‘We want to hear Asian voices, not just those from Europe and the United States.’ Swarovski’s collaboration with Wang couldn’t be more timely. In mainland China, Swarovski has held events ranging from runway-jewelry shows to its Digital Crystal exhibition at everywhere from Beijing to Chengdu. Its Waterschool project – an initiative that provides clean drinking water and teaches communities about its sustainable management – has operated in nine regions along the Yangtze River. This will be expanded into the Hai in Beijing, the Pearl in the south and the Yarlung Tsampo in Tibet. To celebrate its 15th anniversary in March, long-term Swarovski collaborator Fredrikson Stallard wowed the Design Shanghai fair with a 4m circular sculpture holding more than 8,000 Light Topaz crystals to symbolize water droplets. The piece, entitled ‘Prologue’, first appeared – using gold crystals – last year at the Basel and Hong Kong art fairs. Design Shanghai is now in its second year, and insiders predict it will become a significant player. Swarovski’s presence is a vote of confidence. But back to Milan. Swarovski Crystal Palace is missed (the last one was in 2011), but Swarovski is still a pillar of the fair. Each year, the main fiera, where the deals are done, focuses either on kitchens or lighting, and this year it was the turn of the latter. Swarovski Architectural Solutions – a team of crystallighting experts – exhibited, for the first time, a collection of seven contemporary chandeliers that can be custom-made for any interior. Creating tailored lighting is an area Swarovski wants to develop, and trade-facing Euroluce was the perfect place for it to debut. Schonbek, one of the oldest chandeliermakers in Austria, now part of the Swarovski
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Opposite, from top: Fredrikson Stallard’s ‘Prologue’ sculpture, which made use of more than 8,000 Light Topaz crystals; ’Oculus’ by Joyce Wang, commissioned by Swarovski This page: The Lov chair, by Andrenalina
Group, also unveiled 10 new designs, oozing the tradition and heritage you would expect from the 145-year-old company. For years, it has been synonymous with palaces, hotels and Hollywood homes, and the new pieces stayed true to its roots. To complement the old-school designs, Swarovski Lighting, which specializes in contemporary pieces, launched seven modern pieces, adding to an already established line. The company also collaborated with Budapest-based husband-and-wife team Manooi, which makes chandeliers in porcelain, leather, wood, concrete, bronze, Corian and crystal. Swarovski Professional has been their conceptual partner since their debut collection in 2005. The duo’s iconic ‘Artica’ – a suspended elliptical loop that is something of a brand symbol – inspired them to design for Swarovski a bespoke new cut that was manufactured in Wattens and launched at Salone this year. Around 300,000 people visit the fair annually. It’s a truly international demographic, but in terms of exhibitors, Italian companies still dominate – of the 1,363 participants in 2015, 989 were Italian. National presence was also bolstered thanks to Expo, which will be taking place in Milan until October 31. Many veteran brands that don’t always participate were cajoled back by the organizers, and others took part for the first time. Salone was founded in 1961 by a network of family-run companies and artisans operating in and around the city, and with an estimated 20 million people
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expected to visit Expo, it was important to play on this heritage. Swarovski has a rich history of working with Italian artisanal makers and has formed a number of long-lasting and successful collaborations over the decades. It has supplied crystals to the likes of Verona-based Miniluce; Milanese company G Moscatelli, which has been making chandeliers, sconces, table and standard lamps for 89 years; and Florentine manufacturers Mechini and Eurolampart, which specialize in wrought-iron creations. Beyond the regions of Lombardy and Veneto (more than 40 per cent of all Europe’s luxury goods are made in the latter), Swarovski joined forces with Apulia-based Euroluce Lampadari, which creates classical styles with modern accents and technology. The list is so long, you wonder if there’s a lighting company in Italy that Swarovski hasn’t worked with. A key point of reference for the lighting industry is Italamp. For 40 years, it has worked with Italy’s leading designers, from Aldo Cibic and Paola Navone to Matteo Thun. This year, during Euroluce, it commemorated its anniversary with an installation. Highlights were Marco Piva’s ‘Crowns’, incorporating LEDs and crystals, and Daniele Basso’s metal lights, which sit on the wall like delicate doilies. Beyond Euroluce, Swarovski crystals found their way into the halls where furniture and soft furnishings prevailed. Linens, cushions, throws, rugs and even chairs succumbed. Svad Dondi, Home Collection licensee for Italian fashion house Blumarine, known for its frills, f lowers and f loaty silhouettes, embroidered its logo in crystals on a collection of bed linen and bath towels. Floral duvet covers, jacquard throws and white hand towels alike were decorated with macramé lace, pearls and crystals. Fendi Casa, the fashion house that brought luxurious furs and rich leathers from the wardrobe to the living room, added crystals to the mix in its Hamptons-meets-Capri aesthetic. Rugs, too, were embellished. The Milanese company Sahrai draws its expertise from its first-generation origins in the Tehran bazaar, which was the base of the esteemed Persian carpet industry. For inspiration, it looks to the likes of the distinguished designer Gianfranco Ferré and has in its portfolio a collection that evokes his work in both its shapes and colors. Sahrai worked with Swarovski to create the Sparkles range of six hand-knotted silk rugs, each scattered with around 30,000 crystals in
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This page: Villari’s exquisite porcelain Lampadario light. Opposite: ’Chantant’ chandeliers by the 145-year-old lighting company Schonbek
patterns that were akin to fairy dust. It celebrated the grand opening of its f lagship store in Galleria Manzoni at Salone last year. Such pieces are designed for decoration rather than heavy footfall, and the same ‘look, don’t touch’ rule applies to the heart-shaped Lov chair that appeared on the Adrenalina stand. Encrusted with 19,000 crystals, it is destined to be the disco diva of any room set. Experimental ceramics were everywhere, particularly those produced by new 3D printing techniques. Cesare and Silvia Villari founded the porcelain company Villari in Veneto in the 1960s. They still mold their prototypes – many of which are in the traditional Capodimonte style – and they are then reproduced by their team. For Salone, they created an opulent ‘Casa Villari’ that looked like a fin-de-siècle tea room, adorned with gold f lourishes and a garden populated with crystal-encrusted animals. Another husband-and-wife team, Paolo and Gianna Granchi, also established their ceramic-production plant 50-odd years ago. Sigma L2 has kept alive since then their tradition of creating 100-per-cent handmade products combining crystals, metals, wood, stones and leather. Euroluce was dripping with chandeliers. It was impossible to ignore just how inf luential Swarovski was in resuscitating them all those years ago. And, judging by the quantity on offer, they’re not dying another death any time soon.
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Shine ON Swarovski crystals and opulent embellishments give
night-time a sparkling edge. Come and join the party Photography Synchrodogs at Gelardin Management Styling Raquel Franco
Opposite: Dress with coral and crystal detail, Fausto Puglisi; fishnet tights, Pamela Mann at Mytights.com
Opposite: Sequined top and crystal earring (worn as hair clip), both Dior; dress with crystal detailing, Ashley Williams This page: Dress, Huishan Zhang for Swarovski; bodysuit, Body Editions; boots, Dior
This page: Dress with embroidery and crystal detailing, and silver and crystal ring, both Dior; doublefinger ring (model’s right hand), Swarovski; Kalix open ring with hand-applied crystals and rose-gold finish, Atelier Swarovski Opposite: Top and skirt, both Misha Nonoo; fishnet tights, Pamela Mann at Mytights.com
Opposite: Pleated top and dress, both Barbara Casasola; large necklace with hand-applied tonal crystals and palladium finish, Atelier Swarovski by Philippe Ferrandis; rings, all Dior This page: Dress with coral and crystal detail, Fausto Puglisi; fishnet tights, Pamela Mann at Mytights.com; boots, Dior
This page: Crystalbeaded coat, Giorgio Armani; open ring with hand-applied multicolored crystals and ruthenium finish, Atelier Swarovski by Philippe Ferrandis Opposite: Top and skirt with drop crystals, both Iris van Herpen Photographers’ assistants: Laura Jimenez and Nicolas Ruivo Stylist’s assistant: Espe de la Fuente Muro Hairstylist: Philippe Tholimet at Streeters using Moroccanoil Make-up artist: Shinobu at CLM Manicurist: Sara Alvarez Model: Luisa Bianchin at Viva Models
WALK OF LIFE
Richard Long has been presented with the 2015 Swarovski Whitechapel Gallery Art Icon award. The gallery’s director, Iwona Blazwick, talks to him about
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elected by a panel of experts chaired by Whitechapel Gallery director Iwona Blazwick OBE, at a gala dinner in March, Turner Prize-winning British artist Richard Long was presented with the Swarovski Whitechapel Gallery Art Icon award. Born in Bristol in 1945, Long attended Saint Martins College of Art and first came to the public’s attention as a 22-year-old student with his 1967 work ‘A Line Made by Walking’. The black-and-white photograph portrays a grassy meadow transected by a single furrow made by his footsteps. Considered revolutionary at the time, it was a seminal piece. In 1971, the Whitechapel Gallery showed the artist’s first major UK solo exhibition. It featured works such as ‘Pine Needles’ (1971), a huge diagonal cross of pine needles spreading across the gallery f loor, and ‘A Straight Walk
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This page: Richard Long in front of a work in progress Opposite: ‘White Water Circle’ at the Lisson Gallery, 1994
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from the Bottom to the Top of Silbury Hill’ (1970), a spiral of boot-prints in chalk to represent the distance he walked up the hill. In a career spanning almost half a century, Long has remained at the forefront of the British contemporary-art scene. An inf luential figure in the ‘land art’ movement, he documents his epic journeys, which have taken him to remote parts of the world, from Dartmoor in Devon to Antarctica, across mountains, deserts, rivers and grasslands. He uses every medium, from painting and sculpture to photography and text, to express his respect for nature. The landscape has become a rich and continual source of inspiration for every project, in terms of the raw materials he finds, as well as shapes – especially circles. Nominated for the Turner Prize four times, Long won the prize in 1989, and was made a CBE in 2013.
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Lorcan O'Neill
his 50-year career and how art will shape the future
Iwona Blazwick: How did you feel about being given the Art Icon award? Richard Long: Heartened. I’m always amazed at how my work finds its way into the world. IB: The award was presented by the author, ceramicist and admirer of your work Edmund de Waal. He said: ‘Nobody saw sunsets until Turner and no one saw a walk until this man.’ Can you tell us about ‘A Line Made by Walking’ and the importance of walks in your life and artistic career? RL: It was the beginning of a journey: a lifeline. The medium of walking brought time and space into the ways I could make art. I like to walk: it’s simple, satisfying, physical, challenging, contemplative, and the best way to find great places for my sculptures in nature, or to journey across my chosen landscapes. I’ve used walks
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to express ideas about particle physics, tides, geology and the naming of rivers, for example. IB: For your exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1971, visitors were confronted with a giant X – a sculpture lying directly on the f loor and made from one of the most ephemeral of materials: pine needles. What are your recollections of this landmark exhibition? RL: I gathered the needles from a wood near London – maybe Epping Forest – and it was made by dropping them handful by handful. For ‘Silbury Hill’, in contrast, I used my feet – I created footprints with wet clay on my boots. IB: Your work dissolves boundaries between traditional mediums, turning a walk into a work of art, using language to track your journeys, dipping your hands into mud to spatter it like paint on a wall and creating sculptural interventions in remote locations. How do you see the interplay between all these aspects of your work? RL: They’re different strategies to engage the interests I have: materials, ideas, movement, measurement and distances. I see them as complementary and inclusive to the way I work. The common denominator is me. It’s about my body and my capacities or characteristics, be that examining my fingerprints or lifting up stones or taking a long-distance walk. What are your thoughts on sustainability and our place in the ecosystem?
IB: Over the past 50 years, you’ve made sculptural interventions in remote locations, from the Sahara desert to the Arctic Circle to the Himalayas. Can you tell us about making works of art in the wilderness and connecting culture with nature?
RL: Humans are dominant in the ecosystem, so, of course we have to be very vigilant and responsible, but nature will nonetheless evolve and outlast us. However, at the end of the day, I’m an artist, not a political animal.
RL: I’m an artist, so I’m part of my culture. But as my work is about landscapes and localities around the world, it represents the freedom to be an artist anywhere. I bring the works I make in nature back into my own culture through my photographs and text works, as well as my exhibitions and books. IB: The award is supported by the Swarovski Foundation, the chairperson of which, Nadja Swarovski, says that, ‘at a time when conserving our natural environment is such a live concern in art, it feels right and fitting to name Richard Long as the Whitechapel Gallery Art Icon 2015’.
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IB: As young artists and children taking part in the Whitechapel Gallery’s public programs are inspired anew by your work, what do you feel about the role of art in education? Opposite, from top: ‘Camp-site Stones’, Sierra Nevada, 1985; ‘Pine Needles’ at the Whitechapel Gallery, 1971 This page: ‘A Line in the Himalayas’, 1975
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RL: I couldn’t have become the artist I am without the belief and encouragement of my art teachers, from those who taught me at infant school to those who encouraged me at secondary school and college. I think British art colleges are great – we simply must not lose that great tradition.
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Not just a pretty face
When it comes to runway make-up, Pat McGrath reigns supreme. Her futuristic looks using Swarovski crystals have gained her legendary status and a legion of fans – not to mention an MBE from the Queen Words Alice Hart-Davis
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Jason Lloyd-Evans; Anthea Simms
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at McGrath MBE is the make-up artist’s make-up artist. Responsible for turning out cutting-edge catwalk looks for the likes of Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Miu Miu, Margiela and Comme des Garçons, she had no formal training; however, an art foundation course and a chance meeting with a stylist set her on a path that would eventually see her lauded by Vogue as the most inf luential make-up artist in the world. It was back in the 1990s that she developed the knack of thinking outside the box that became her trademark – at i-D, her use of color gained the magazine international kudos and McGrath, in turn, industry-wide acclaim.
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She has a CV that is nothing if not impressive. Her painted faces have appeared in publications across the globe, shot by star photographers such as Paolo Reversi, Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh and Steven Meisel. She has designed cosmetics for Armani, and, for a decade, has been the global creative design director for P&G Beauty’s Max Factor and CoverGirl brands. And she worked with Dior under both John Galliano and Raf Simons to create exquisite runway looks, many with Swarovski crystals. In 2013, in recognition of services to the fashion and beauty industries, Queen Elizabeth II made her an MBE, or Member of the Order of the British Empire.
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Opposite: McGrath's crystal face masks for Givenchy S/S14 This page, from above left: Dramatically embellished eyes for the Dior A/W11 couture show; a sweep of Swarovski crystal ‘shadow’ for Dior S/S13
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‘It’s an extreme, individualized statement – a rebellion against the idea of standardized beauty, and about what it means to be a strong and focused woman’
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Jason Lloyd-Evans; Antonello Trio/Imaxtree.com
Year after year, McGrath turns out an extraordinary array of looks for the runway. Forgoing brushes, she is literally a dab hand at creating a glowing natural face or a classic red-lipped look, but what her many fans adore is when she lets her creativity off the leash and produces face-art that is truly arresting. It could be graphic eyeliner, drawn in a sweeping f low around the eyes or in a clean, sharp line above the brows, or blocks of shadow plotted geometrically across the lid. She says of her creative process: ‘I’m inf luenced by the fabrics I see, the colors in the collections, and the girls’ faces. It’s always a challenge, but that’s the key: to make it different every time.’ She loves playing with the proportions of the face, blanking out brows only to draw them in unusually high, or attaching oversized false lashes to models’ cheeks way below the natural line to give the impression of enormous, Bambilike eyes. But her most striking and futuristic looks of all are surely the ones she creates with a pot of glue and a trayful of Swarovski crystals. There were the exaggerated eyes she created for Dior’s 2011 haute-couture show, for which she used chatons in place of shadow, sweeping them out over the models’ lids and right up to the hairline. The impression of make-up was enhanced by the black crystals placed along the socket line where normally there would be a deeper shade. McGrath developed the idea further for Dior’s spring/summer 2013 show in a look she called ‘Techno Butterf ly’. Models sported shadow in a rainbow of hues – aquamarine, fuchsia, orange, green and purple – right across their lids, from the nose to the very ends of the brows, studded with rows and starbursts of tiny Swarovski crystals in matching or contrasting shades. It captivated the imagination of thousands of bloggers and Instagrammers, who shared it across the internet, far beyond the usual audience of those who follow fashion. Its appeal was simple: though complicated, it wasn’t impossible for anyone with patience and a steady hand to try at home, and the results were stunning. Even more futuristic and startling – and not something an amateur would be advised to attempt – was the look McGrath created for Givenchy’s spring/summer 2014 show. It took 1,500 Swarovski crystals to turn each model’s face into what she described as a ‘futuristic, techno, African mask’, and the impact, as a battalion of blank-faced and fiercely glittering
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Opposite, clockwise from top: Dior S/S13’s striking palette; a crystal-encrusted look for Margiela S/S15; Pat McGrath’s work-in-progress at Givenchy S/S14 This page: James Kaliardos’s headturning crystalline eyeliner for the Rodarte A/W15 show
warriors strode the runway, was breathtaking. ‘It was an extreme, individualized statement – a rebellion against the idea of standardized beauty, and about what it means to be a strong and focused woman,’ she explained. So, what next for runway make-up? Will we see ever bolder looks, like the crystalline eyeliner James Kaliardos created for Rodarte? Beauty editor at trend forecaster WGSN Theresa Yee foresees a return to simplicity to counter the theatrics. ‘The focus will still be on attention to detail – think graphic lines and interesting shapes. But we’ve seen the barefaced look season after season, so I feel that, while there’s going to be a return to femininity in make-up, it’ll be done in a more raw way.’ Femininity maybe and raw power certainly, but simplicity…? Not if Pat McGrath and her arsenal of sparkling Swarovski crystals have anything to do with it.
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PERFECT FORM
The new crystal cuts and colors for autumn/winter 2016/17 honor Swarovski’s rich 120-year heritage and bring its authentic, f lawless legacy into the future
Opposite: Infinity pendant This page: Edelweiss fancy stone
Opposite: Kaputt, designed by Jean Paul Gaultier This page: Crystal Scarabaeus Green, designed by Jean Paul Gaultier
From left: Crystal Mesh and New Crystal Fine Mesh
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Atelier Swarovski and Cadenzza stockists
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Also available at top Swarovski stores around the world atelierswarovski.com Opposite: Dramatic crystal necklace, CGB This page: Wool-crêpe dress with handstitched wool and sequin embroidery and Swarovski crystals, Peter Pilotto
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WATCH THIS SPACE
Scientists are starting to understand how planets form. And it’s all down to a tiny green crystal called olivine Words Nick Smith
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ext time you take a sauna, check out the hot stones creating the steam – it’s almost certain they will be made of the mineral olivine. This volcanic rock is ideal because it stays hot and doesn’t break up with repeated heating and cooling. Good olivine means a good sauna. While low-grade terrestrial olivine is common enough to be used as a construction material, in space, the crystalline version is making headlines as a building block for nothing less than new planets. Scientists working with NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope have found olivine crystals in what they think are the very beginnings of celestial orbs that could one day support life.
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These microscopic crystal grains are clustered around what astronomers have labeled ‘failed stars’, or, more informally, brown dwarfs. According to Dr Daniel Apai, an astronomer at the University of Arizona, Tucson, these crystals collide and then clump together with other space debris to eventually make planets. ‘Similar materials are seen in planet-forming regions around stars and in comets – the remnants of our own solar system’s construction,’ he explains. Which might explain why there is so much olivine on earth. But don’t get too excited: gemstones of more than 5cts are scarcer than emeralds. The really good stuff comes from space in the form of large crystals that fall from the sky embedded in
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pallasite, or stony-iron meteorites. These extraterrestrial peridots are among the rarest gems on our planet. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the universe, it is literally raining olivine. Tiny green crystals have been caught on Spitzer’s infrared detector in the constellation Orion. ‘You need temperatures as hot as lava to make these crystals,’ says Tom Megeath of the University of Toledo in Ohio; the f lecks of olivine resemble glitter, or ‘a green sparkle against a black, dusty backdrop,’ he adds. So, next time you’re in the sauna, remember that those seemingly inconspicuous stones that are creating the heat for your spa treatment are made of the same mineral that is literally helping to create the universe of tomorrow.
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Sciencesource
Above: Macro photographs showing extreme close-up cross-sections of crystals – among them, olivine – embedded in a meteorite
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