Crystal Clear: Swarovski's Family Journey

Swarovski’s heritage traces all the way back to the mid 19th century in Bohemia, which was a hub back then for the production of glass and crystal. Daniel Swarovski’s father ran a factory where crystal was smoothened and Daniel visited his father’s workshop often. When Daniel was 21, he was inspired to develop a new kind of machine that ground crystals. Almost a decade later, the machine was patented. It was a revolutionary contraption – previously stones had been ground by hand – and it laid the foundation for Swarovski as we know it today: a producer of precisely-cut elements for a wide range of industries such as binocular-making; and, on the other hand, a retailer of jewellery, fashion accessories, objects and homewares with points of sales around the globe.

In 1913, Daniel’s sons expanded the company. It began producing its own crystals: the crucial point in which the company first became a luxury brand. In time, Swarovski crystals were coveted by fashion forward designers of the era, including Coco Chanel. In the 1940s the dress Marylin Monroe wore to sing “Happy Birthday” to JFK was adorned with Swarovski crystals; in the 1960s Audrey Hepburn wore Swarovski in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Dorothy’s ruby red slippers were embellished with Swarovski. The crystal company also collaborated with Christian Dior. “Dior wanted a crystal that emulated the northern light, so a coating was invented called the aurora borealis, which still is one of our best selling stones,” said Nadja Swarovski, member of the Swarovski Executive Board and Chair of the Swarovski Foundation's Board of Directors, in an interview.  

When the big fashion houses in Europe – LVMH, PPR (now Kering), and Richemont – were burgeoning and the luxury sector was about to explode in the 1990s, Nadja joined the family business. While her great-great-grandfather Daniel laid the technical foundation of the brand, she chose to pave the way for expansion in the creative and marketing sides of the business. Projects since she began working in the family company include the support of talents in fashion and jewellery design. A collaboration with Alexander McQueen was one of the company’s first successful ones. Viktor&Rolf, Zaha Hadid and Karl Lagerfeld are other names that Nadja has worked with.

Collaborations also include other sponsorships and partnerships, including the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Awards. Its founder, Eleanor Lambert, was Nadja’s boss previous to joining the family company. “I really learned so much from her, seeing how she was able to connect two people who didn't know each other but understood each other's potential. They could then go off and create together." The company also partners with the British Fashion Council and was the main sponsor of the British Fashion Awards held on the first of December last year. “Swarovski has been supporting British designers for over 15 years, and their incredible skill, craftsmanship and creativity never ceases to amaze and inspire,” she said.

Other products and initiatives include the Daniel Swarovski Collection of couture jewellery and accessories launched in 1989, which have adorned the bodies of Penelope Cruz, Sharon Stone, Charlize Theron, and Jessica Alba. The Swarovski Jewellers Collection, first launched in 1977, was created in Milan and Paris. The watch collection launched in 2009, the men’s collection in 2010, the eyewear collection in 2011, the first men’s watch collection in 2012 – these were all overseen by Nadja’s cousin and great-great-grandson of Daniel Swarovski, Robert Buchbauer. “The style of our pieces has evolved to become more modern, innovative and accessible, with an optimistic range of products,” said Buchbauer.

Nadja is also Chairwoman of Swarovski Entertainment Ltd, which develops and produces feature films. Its first feature, Romeo & Juliet, written by Julian Fellowes and starring Douglas Booth and Haillee Steinfeld as the star-crossed lovers, was released a year ago. Then there is the Swarovski Foundation. "I chose to place people at the heart of my management. Hence the choice to get involved in civic life through the Swarovski Foundation, which supports research against breast cancer and several actions related to female empowerment. It is also for the preservation of nature and water.”

The future of the company looks sparkly. Nadja has said in an interview: “With the increase in competition in China, there are hundreds of crystal manufacturers now, competing with us on price. “But,” she added, “innovation has brought us to where we are today, and we believe it’s innovation that will keep us alive in the future. We are working more and more with designers to create special stones.”

Read more travel and fashion stories by Ria de Borja here.