The Creative Director of Swarovski, Nathalie Colin, maintains a fond admiration for working women and says they are the brand’s muse. Where there’s a muse, there will be art – Colin describes the Spring/Summer 2014 collection as “ethnic culture meets artistic movements,” and tells us about Swarovski’s brand philosophy.
ELLE: What inspired the Spring/Summer 2014 collection?
NATHALIE COLIN: Tribal art has inspired the design process and served as a strong starting point to the collection. The idea was to lend a modern twist to art so that it appeals to the urban woman. Africa was definitely on our minds when we referred to tribal arts – the totem spirit, the handicrafts, mixed mediums like leather and wood combined with glamorous crystals. We love the opulence and warmth of gold polish and used it in an interesting mix – combinations of yellow gold, rose gold and white gold have been applied to the jewellery to ensure a contemporary vibe. For women with subtle taste though, there are pieces in summery shades of blue, reminiscent of the Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech.
ELLE: A piece of jewellery that every woman must possess?
NC: A pair of spectacular earrings; they update any look instantly. Personally, I have a weakness for cuffs, but since it’s a statement piece, it’s probably not for everyone. For working women, play with brooches – pin a cluster of them on your jacket.
ELLE: Who is the Swarovski muse?
NC: The women of today have to balance work and family, and make an effort to dress up and look beautiful. The urban woman multitasks and we admire this quality. We want our jewellery to celebrate the softer side of these women.
ELLE: Can we look forward to a Swarovski collection tailored to please Indian sensibilities?
NC: India has so many talented designers backed by a long tradition of love for jewellery. We would definitely like to do a capsule collection at some point. The aim is to make costume jewellery popular in India – to play and experiment with it. It will be fun to explore such an opportunity.
