Take 5: Nadja Swarovski

Words: P Ramakrishnan
Images Courtesy of Lane Crawford

Nadja Swarovski (fifth generation of “the” Swarovski family) who has the twin role of Creative Director and Vice President of International Communications for the Swarovski Crystal Palace was in Hong Kong briefly, where we caught up with her quick chat. Envisioned by Nadja herself, a diverse group of the best emerging and established talent from worlds of architecture, art, fashion and interior designers have been asked to re-imagine and reinterpret the power of crystal, the idea being to change the way people look at lighting and crystals.

Q: So tell us about your Hong Kong trip. What was it like, what was your reaction and response to your brand and products in Asia?
Nadja Swarovski: Having lived in Hong Kong from 1995 to 1997, it was pure fascination to be back in 2008. You can sense the same vibe of productivity, creativity and entrepreneurship while at the same time sense a huge amount of change in terms of modernisation especially in its architecture.

We are thrilled with the launch event at Lane Crawford Pacific Place home store and we do hope that the collection was well-received by the customers in Hong Kong. Lane Crawford is an incredible role model in the luxury industry in terms of merchandising and visual display and it is an honor for Swarovski Crystal Palace to be part of their product assortment.

2. Are you surprised at how well recognised the brand is wherever you go in your vast travel – especially in Asia?
NS: Swarovski enjoys great brand perception and appreciation within Asia and we hope this will contribute to future growth with a product which is relevant to the consumer.

3: Nicole Kidman famously sang “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” in Moulin Rouge, but she was wearing Swarovski crystals in fact! Shouldn’t the song be Swarovski are a girl’s best friend?
NS: Yes, you are right! It actually should, but inevitably it means the same thing as diamonds and crystals have the same quality of sparkle, brilliance and ability to add glamour to a woman’s life. It was my great, great-grand father Daniel Swarovski’s dream to bring the sensation of wearing a diamond to every woman when he created a material that was so similar… and yet affordable.

4. What’s ahead for the brand and the company?
NS: The yearning for continuous growth, innovation and modernisation has motivated us to move into new product categories such as lighting, art and architecture. Within these arenas, we have found a vast number of creative designers who have used our products in unimaginably innovative ways, thus pushing our own boundaries of creativity.

5. Will there be any special products for China? What can we expect in our region from the brand?

NS: We hope to exhibit Swarovski Crystal Palace in China next year, either in Shanghai or Beijing. We would like to integrate Chinese designers within some of the Swarovski product lines to reflect the zeitgeist of modern China.