Cut crystal was once the preserve of the suburban semi: wedding present decanters brought out for best and menageries of tiny glittering animals given pride of place in the display cabinet. Crystal keepsakes were ordered from the back of Sunday supplements by your grandma and they were about as far from high fashion as lace doilies and Liberace, whose rhinestone obsession remains legendary. But then in the 1990s something strange happened. Crystals were suddenly all over the catwalk and studding the latest gadgets; twinkling from practically anything they could be affixed to. It was the era of hip-hop-inspired dazzle and one name kept cropping up — Swarovski.
At the time, you would have been forgiven for thinking that, just like venerable old British brands Pringle and Barbour, Swarovski's top brass were probably quite bemused at being dragged into the limelight by the fashion pack but, in fact, this Austrian family firm had never really gone away. Founded in 1862 by Daniel Swarovski who after working for years as a crystal-cutter went on to change his family's fortunes when, at the age of 30, he patented a machine that could precision-cut the crystals that costumiers and couturiers loved — Swarovski could now achieve unprecedented levels of brilliance and consistency with this invention.
From then on the company went from strength to strength, establishing itself as the go-to place for the finest decorative crystals. Even our own Queen Victoria wore Swarovski, in her hair ornaments and her replica jewels (on occasions when it was deemed prudent to leave the real diamonds locked up at home). By the time the 1920s came around — when the Jazz Age Flapper girl, with her shingled hair and short dresses, chose fabrics made heavy by thousands of crystals that swayed and shimmered seductively — Swarovski couldn't have wished for a better showcase for their product. Successful working relationships with names no less revered than Chanel, Balenciaga and Schiaparelli followed and, by the 1950s, Daniel Swarovski's grandson Manfred was working with Christian Dior on his New Look, which celebrated femininity and the end of utilitarian wartime garb with cinched waists, voluminous skirts and glittering embellishment.
Beyond fashion's rarefied reach, Swarovski has long played a starring, if uncredited, role in Hollywood. Icons of the stage and silver screen who have sparkled in Swarovski include Marlene Dietrich, Josephine Baker, Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe — the latter while singing 'Happy Birthday' to JFK. And Dorothy's ruby slippers in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz? Swarovski crystal-encrusted of course.
These days Swarovski is the world's leading producer of precision-cut crystal for fashion, jewellery and interiors, working with everyone from fashion powerhouse Versace to the more edgy British designer Giles Deacon. Still family-owned — the most interesting member, renowned for her indefatigable energy, is the glamorous and go-getting Nadja Swarovski, who oversees the fashion side of the business and is responsible for forging the company's numerous links with the fashion world — the company employs some 20,000 people, has a brand presence in more than 120 countries and an annual turnover of billions.
In 1977 Swarovski established its own jewellery line, now headed up by Creative Director Nathalie Colin. Within the company she's credited with injecting some creative daring into the brand. She says of her role, 'it's a very exciting challenge to balance the heritage with the need for change, in a careful way'. When the catwalk show goodie bags of Giles Deacon contained a Swarovski crystal dinosaur, the company showed it could gently poke fun at its own kitschier product lines.
So where does the fragrance line fit in? 'Aura' is the result of collaboration with Clarins, another long-established family firm. The striking bottle is appropriately topped with a single faceted crystal and does its bit for the environment by being refillable. Board member Markus Langes-Swarovski says the fragrance is about adding 'even more femininity into the brand's overall identity'. The inspiration behind Aura is the crystal, of course, in reference to the light that emanates from each one.
And don't think Swarovski are content to leave it there, though. Other new projects include a men's jewellery collection and sunglasses range. But where do they get their inspiration? 'The crystal is a pure versatile material, and a constant source of inspiration, says Nathalie Colin. 'It can be technically challenging, but this is what makes it so interesting.'
This article first appeared in High Life Shop!
