WONDER VISION
From the jewellery to the store design, Swarovski prepares to enthrall with fashion plate Giovanna Battaglia Engelbert as creative director.
The crystal specialist Swarovski celebrated its 125th anniversary last year with the bold announcement of the fashion plate Giovanna Battaglia Engelbert as its first-ever creative director. This month, the full range of Collection 1 – her debut comprising a dazzling 14 sub-collections – gets released here, along with a new unified brand (you don’t have to try discerning between its different divisions any longer) and boutique concept as bombastic as the jewellery itself. Gordon Ng gets her to share the marvel that she has in store.
WHAT’S YOUR CREATIVE VISION AND GOAL FOR SWAROVSKI?
“My vision for Swarovski is what I refer to as a ‘Wonderlab’, a place where science and magic meet. I see Swarovski as the jewellery brand of the future: It’s gender neutral and celebrates the idea of new glamour for the comfort era. This is extremely important because there is no limit to who can wear what – or how – and this leaves space for expression in an incredibly fun way.”
YOUR DEBUT INCLUDES THE REVEAL OF THE INSTANT WONDER BOUTIQUE CONCEPT THAT’S STARTED TO ROLL OUT GLOBALLY WITH ONE TO OPEN AT THE SHOPPES AT MARINA BAY SANDS IN SINGAPORE WITHIN THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS YEAR. TELL US MORE ABOUT IT.
“The stores are designed to reflect the brand’s upcoming campaign and new visual identity. Buying jewellery is a moment of joy and exploration and we wanted to make sure that the Instant Wonder store experience is a ‘Wonderlab’ for all the senses. It’s meant to evoke the feeling of Alice in Wonderland landing in Willy Wonka’s candy store. You can’t get enough of the space; you want more and there’s always more to discover.”
A MAJOR REFERENCE IN COLLECTION 1 WAS FOUNDER DANIEL SWAROVSKI’S SKETCHES. HOW DID THOSE INSPIRE YOU?
“Swarovski is such a historical company and the collection was a way to rewrite the story. It sounds ambitious, but fundamentally it was a return to crystal as a material. I was inspired by Daniel Swarovski’s geometry drawings and technical sketches and I wanted Collection 1 to emphasise the perfection of the material as he saw it.”
WHY THE CHOICE TO GO MAXIMALIST AND BIGGER-IS-BETTER WITH COLLECTION 1?
“I call it my ‘mood booster’ collection. The pieces are not meant to be status symbols, but reflect a state of mind; a way to be confident and expressive. When designing, I was thinking a lot about our way of interacting today – always on Zoom with the head and neck more visible than the hands. It explains for example why I really focused on necklaces and statement earrings.”
YOU LOVE AND COLLECT BOTH JEWELLERY AND FASHION. HOW DO YOU FUSE THESE TWO WORLDS TOGETHER?
“I adore jewellery regardless of its material. I’ve collected special pieces for years and admire ladies from New York in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s who were known for playing with and wearing different types of jewellery. Whether it was a plastic bracelet or something with ruby, it was all about self-expression and joy for them. There’s a quote from Monsieur Saint Laurent that I love. It says that one piece of jewellery can change an entire look. To me, grandiose jewellery can be worn day or night, casually or glamorously, but always should be with a wink. At a time when our outfits are becoming more casual, jewellery is even more relevant for its transformational power… Collection 1 is about saying ‘This is who I am’ and the pieces offer embellishment for our everyday lives.”
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE DESIGN FROM COLLECTION 1?
“Not an easy question, but if I had to choose, it would be the Lucent (a cocktailstyle ring with a rich, saturated hue that’s been sculpted from a solid piece of crystal). It looks simple, but it’s incredibly complex to make (each piece features over 138 facets). The result is perfect geometry in one crystal cut.”