CRYSTALLIZED™– Swarovski Elements  
 
INNOVATIONS EVOKE NATURE’S SPLENDOUR.
 
  With the heightened focus on our planet’s fragile ecology comes a palpable desire to return to more traditional values and re-establish harmony with nature. CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements’ innovations for Spring/Summer 2011 reflect this mood. On-trend, precision-cut crystals reinterpret the flowing forms of the Art Nouveau movement in myriad light-filled reflections and refractions; crystals in organic, textured shapes evoke insects, leaves and fired earth; and new colours mirror the lush beauty of vegetation.  
 
Designer Editions: borrowed from nature, captured in crystal
Following the début of legendary designer Andrée Putman’s ‘Fantastic Flowers’ in February 2009, CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements is delighted to announce her completion of this collection with three beautiful new pieces. The Ginko, Zinnia and Lotus Pendants are delicate, crystalline interpretations of leaves found in nature, their organic shapes providing an aesthetic counterpoint to their graphic faceting. Innovative use of indents in the design of Zinnia and Lotus gives the illusion of a pattern of symmetrical ‘holes’, lending them a contemporary feel. As with all Designer Editions moving forwards, this collection now bears a distinctive stamp on its packaging.

Fusion Concepts: trend-driven style
Hot on the heels of last season’s Crystal Mosaics come Ceramics, a unique selection of loose Ceramics, Flat Backs, Beads and Pendants that draw on the natural beauty of fired earth. Available in a tonal range of Marbled Black, Marbled Blue, Marbled Ivory and Marbled Yellow, these latest innovations are the first to offer fully cut ceramics as a creative material. Completely opaque, their highly polished finish produces subtle reflections, while the textural craquelure effect creates individual, discreetly elegant pieces. Tough and scratch-resistant, they open up new functional design possibilities, such as key ring accessories and extra-narrow bead fixings.

New colours and effects: botanical beauty
From pale lavenders to lush greens, the latest colours and effects in the CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements range unashamedly celebrate the beauty of plant life.

Redolent of sunny, fragrant hillsides in Southern France, Provence Lavender hints at the unconventional and extraordinary. This pale violet hue with a touch of blue perfectly complements other CRYSTALLIZED™ lilac colours.

In line with the desire to lead a more organic way of life, Fern Green reflects nature’s soothing embrace. A forest floor of soft ferns, a meadow shimmering in morning dew – this new shade of green conjures luscious tranquility in a variety of cuts, shapes and sizes.

The ultimate in luxury, Crystal Lavender Pearl combines glamorous refinement with elegant understatement. Its smooth, shimmering tones offer a look both timeless and contemporary.

Underlining the trend for pale shades and opal colours, CRYSTALLIZED™
– Swarovski Elements has extended its range of existing White Opal Crystal Stones to include large sizes in Fancy Stones, Beads and Pendants.

CRYSTALLIZED™ cuts: Art Nouveau romance meets Art Deco luxury
With their geometric shapes and brilliantly cut, light-reflective luminosity, the Wing family of Crystal Stones provides a modern interpretation of the romantic, abstract lines of the Art Nouveau era. So called because of their graceful wing form, the latest additions are the trapezium-shaped Wing Flat Back (available in Hotfix and No Hotfix) and the asymmetrical, finely faceted Wing Fancy Stone, Wing Bead and Wing Pendant.

The successful Cosmic Ring family is augmented by the Cosmic Square Ring, a versatile, playful new crystal. Its organic, off-centre design and irregular cut brings sparkling accents and a fresh look to contemporary creations.

Thanks to its unique asymmetric cut, the increased number of facets and unmatched brilliance, the upgraded XILION Heart Pendant strikes a bold, futuristic note. Available in multiple colours, effects and sizes, the new pendant offers the glorious refractions and reflections associated with all XILION cuts.

The new Art-Deco inspired Chessboard Circle Flat Back Hotfix and size extensions in the No Hotfix assortment provide designs of luxurious sophistication. Representing a new design direction, the sculptural, tactile Calypso Fancy Stone suggests a glittering insect carapace. The innovative Square Bead Double Hole, sporting two parallel holes, invites a huge variety of creative combinations, while the conically-shaped Artemis Bead presents a contemporary version of traditional spacer beads. With its strong lines and straight facets, the geometric Cubist Bead is now available in large sizes (20x13.5 and 28x18.5 mm) for even greater impact. Again complementing the trend towards organic forms, the asymmetrically-shaped Crystal Baroque Pearl boasts a chic, lustrous gleam.

Semi-finished Products lift decorative standards to new heights
With its myriad, double-pointed Chatons, the eye-catching brilliance of Crystal Rocks yields infinite design possibilities for jewellery, fashion accessories and interior design. This dazzling creative material comes in a range of colours and effects, as well as in customised designs thanks to the Special Motif Service. Similarly, Crystaltex Chaton Banding, a-shine with small XILION Chatons and available at up to 88 rows per metre, paves the way for exciting, luxurious fashion statements across different disciplines. With ease of production in mind, Transfers-on-Roll provides a new solution for the industrial application of Transfers.

Finally, Snap Fasteners, Decorative Buttons and Jeans Buttons see line extensions in the best-selling crystal effects, while tiny 3 mm Rondelles and two new flower-shaped Filigrees give a contemporary twist to vintage looks.

Inspiration through innovation
Luminous, captivating and radiant with the beauty of nature, the latest introductions to the CRYSTALLIZED™– Swarovski Elements range spark a wealth of creative inspiration for design talents across the world.

 
 
In 1895Daniel Swarovski I, a Bohemian inventor and visionary, moved to the village of Wattens, Tyrol in Austria, with his newly-invented machine for cutting and polishing crystal jewellery stones. From this beginning that revolutionised the fashion world, Swarovski has grown to be the world’s leading producer of precision-cut crystal, for fashion, jewellery and more recently lighting, architecture and interiors. Today, the company, still based in Wattens, family-owned and run by 4th and 5th generation family members, has a global reach, with some 26.000 employees, a presence in over 120 countries and a turnover in 2008 of 2.52 billion Euros. Swarovski comprises two major businesses, one producing and selling loose elements to the industry and the other creating design-driven finished products. Swarovski crystal components, known by their product brand names CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements for fashion and STRASS® Swarovski® Crystal for architecture and light, have become an essential ingredient of international design. Since 1965 the company has also catered to the fine jewellery industry with precision-cut genuine and created gemstones, and from April 2008 has strengthened this relationship by revitalising and renaming the product brand ENLIGHTENED™– Swarovski Elements. Showing the creativity that lies at the heart of the company, Swarovski’s own-brand lines of accessories, jewellery and home décor are sold through more than 1.600 retail outlets in all major fashion capitals. The exclusive Daniel Swarovski accessories collection has meanwhile become the company’s couture signature. The Swarovski Crystal Society has close to 350.000 members worldwide, keen collectors of the celebrated crystal figurines. And in Wattens, Swarovski Kristallwelten, the multi-media crystal museum, was opened in 1995, as a celebration of Swarovski’s universe of innovation and inspiration. The Swarovski corporation also includes Tyrolit®, manufacturing grinding tools, Swareflex, for road safety reflectors, and Swarovski Optik, producing precision optical instruments.
 
 

For further information and PR material, please contact:
Swarovski International PR
Verena Koetzle
Mail: verena.koetzle@swarovski.com
Tel: +43 (0) 5224 500 1448
Fax: +43 (0) 5224 501 1448
WWW.CRYSTALLIZED.COM