NADJA SWA ROVSK I
The famed Austrian crystal maker’s dazzling frontwoman and Atelier Swarovski’s creative director talks to BAZAAR about the maison’s first sustainable fine jewellery collection and crystal visions for the future. By Amy Yasmine.
How has the Atelier Swarovski Fine Jewelry Collection changed the course of the maison’s history, as well as the landscape of jewellery at large? We launched the fine jewellery collection as a celebration of Atelier Swarovski’s 10th anniversary this year. However, besides marking a milestone, we are also looking to the future with this collection. The pieces combine Swarovski Created Diamonds and emeralds with crystal, and this is an important statement as part of our commitment to promoting conscious luxury.
How important is sustainability in the world of jewellery today?
Extremely. As a responsible business, we understand the importance of creating a positive impact for people and the planet, and we want to be a leading voice in creating an industry of values. That is why we have signed up to the United Nations Global Compact and the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, and we are also proud to be a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council.
What led Swarovski to explore the realm of fine jewellery with sustainability in mind?
The collection embodies our more-than-120-year heritage of fine craftsmanship and precision cutting with sustainability. We wanted to create beautiful red carpet jewellery that has less impact on the environment. The stones are firstly grown in a state-of-the-art lab. They are then expertly cut by our master cutters in Austria and hand-set in a Parisian atelier—it is the perfect example of combining traditional craft and savoir-faire with cutting-edge technology and sustainability. This also fits into our wider commitment as a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council.
With your creative collaborations, how do you look to the future while preserving the rich history of Swarovski?
Our goal is to cater to our consumers. We always want to create adornments that are relevant and serve a purpose.
The design, albeit Art Deco at first glance, has a certain modern irreverence to it. What was the inspiration?
The collection is inspired by classic red-carpet glamour, but in combining crystals with Created Diamonds, we have made something very contemporary and a little unexpected. The classic Hollywood theme was an important element to start with because it speaks to classic fine jewellery, but now that we’ve established it, we can become more fluid and experimental, and the next collection will be more organic.
What is your favourite piece from this fine jewellery collection, and why?
I love the ring and the cuff, which to me are tokens of protection and empowerment. They remind me of Wonder Woman.
What is luxury to you?
To me, luxury is craftsmanship, quality, and meaning.
“I love the ring and the cuff, which to me are tokens of protection and empowerment. They remind me of Wonder Woman.” – Nadja Swarovski