Stephanie Rivers speaks to Werner Baumgartner, Swarovaski’s managing director, about the bejewelled life

Whhat do fashionistas want more of? Glamour, fashion, never seen before pieces and the like. That is exactly what Swarovski, maker of the fabulous crystals that embellish everything from haute couture fashions, to ready to wear, to figurines and more, gave Dubai with its Glamour in the City extravaganza on October 21. The event, in collaboration with 10 of the company’s branding partners in the GCC, gave a sneak peak at what fashionable women will be wearing this season across the globe.

Managing director Werner Baumgartner explains the impetus for such an event, shines some light on the storied history of the company and reveals what is next for Swarovski in the Middle East.

The Swarovski product line ranges from the crystallized crystals, to haute couture, optics, figurines, jewellery and interiors. What was the very first product in each category and how did they come about?

As a company, Swarovski encompasses a broad range of activities and businesses. These now represent distinct brands with specific strengths and personalities. Swarovski is about crystal as a whole; not about specific crystalline products. For example, a Swarovski craftsman, back in 1976, created the first crystal mouse by playfully gluing chandelier parts together. It became a best-seller at the Innsbruck Winter Olympic Games and launched the first Silver Crystal collection. Thus crystal went from being an element for fashion or chandeliers to becoming a creative material in its own right.

The company was started by Daniel Swarovski in the late 1800s after he created and patented an electric cutting machine. What type of man was he and why was he convinced that this would warrant setting up a company and create such demand?

Daniel Swarovski I grew up amongst Bohemia’s flourishing crystal and costume jewellery industry. He was trained as a crystal cutter but soon emerged as an inventor and pioneering innovator fascinated with crystal. He was also a humanistic visionary who strove to achieve a balance between economic, social and environmental responsibilities. Openness and respect for all cultures, social responsibility and generosity remain cultural values shared across the Swarovski Group.

Daniel Swarovski was just 18 when he took his first invention, a machine for setting crystal stones, to the fashion capital of Paris. Then in 1883 he visited the First Electric Exhibition in Vienna and was inspired by the innovations of companies like Siemens and Edison.

He then went on to invent the first mechanical method for cutting and polishing crystal jewellery stones, a machine he patented in 1892. This changed the course of history for costume jewellery and launched the company.

What are Swarovski crystals and how are they made?

Swarovski takes the purest material and applies the most advanced technology and craftsmanship to create exquisite crystalline objects, a process that is dear to the heart of every Swarovski employee. For over 114 years, Swarovski has developed its supreme mastery of precision cutting to become the world’s leading producer of cut crystal, genuine gemstones and created stones. Swarovski’s passion for achieving the unique, as well as the company’s patient pursuit of longevity, has allowed it to be dedicated to unleashing crystal’s astonishing creative potential. With our crystalline products, we aim to amaze and inspire.

Swarovski has a long, storied history with fashion dating back to the early 1920s. Tell us how the company started this relationship, notably with Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli, and when?

Swarovski has always been an important partner and supplier to the world’s great couture houses. Elsa Schiaparelli came to us in the 1930s to experience the production of cut crystal and its potential for the creation of jewellery. Coco Chanel was always intrigued with crystal as a creative medium and in costume jewellery. In the 1950s, Christian Dior and Swarovski collaborated to produce the Aurora Borealis crystal.

Today’s luminaries of the modern runway, such as Vivienne Westwood, Karl Lagerfeld and many others, come to us to experience our products in all their facets, while Swarovski inspires them to realise their crystalline fantasies. In its commitment to the longevity of crystal, Swarovski also provides inspiration and support for tomorrow’s top designers.

How many members of the fashion community does Swarovski work with currently?

This depends on the number of current projects we have with the design world. We work with leading designers of the calibre of A Testoni, Abaete, Alberta Ferretti, Betsey Johnson, Botkier, Diane von Furstenberg, Giuseppe Zanotti, Jimmy Choo, L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani, Lisa Pliner, Manolo Blahnik, Moschino, Oscar de la Renta, Roger Vivier, Sergio Rossi, Stuart Weitzman and Tibi and Tuleh.

How many Swarovski crystals are used each year? How many are created and distributed during Fashion Weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris?

We produce more than 50,000 different products so it is impossible to answer this question, however, every crystal reflects both the highest quality possible and the joy of producing something beautiful.

Which Swarovski family members currently work for the company and what do they do?

There are more than 60 family members from the three families involved in the creation of the company (Swarovski, Weis and Frey) who have varying sizes of shareholdings. More than 20 are active in the company. The company is 100 per cent family owned and the Swarovski Group management reflects this.

Each of the three businesses (Crystal, Optik and Tyrolit) has a supervisory board, all of which are family members. They are managed by executive boards made up of family and non-family members.

How has Swarovski managed to stay a privately-owned company and still grow?

Swarovski aims at long-term growth, and unlike a publicly traded company we are not focussed on generating maximum short-term profits. Being a family-owned, financially independent company, we can focus on sustainable business development, and our company continues to be driven by our founder’s philosophy.

What is the demand for the crystalized branded crystals here in the GCC?

Luxury super yachts, an enormous appetite for luxury real estate, and a major market for high end couture, luxury automobiles, destination resorts — this is the GCC. The market for the loose cut crystals is exponential as it transcends segments.

How much has business increased since you first launched here in the Gulf?

We do not release specific figures, however, the company achieved a turnover in 2008 of 2.52 billion euro. Given the instability of the global financial and political situation, this is particularly gratifying and we view this as an indication that our innovation and commitment to overall excellence are successful drivers for our company.

What are the company’s expansion plans for the GCC and where will the next market be?

We have a presence in most markets across the Gulf and we do not have plans to expand geographically. We are, however, always looking into developing new segments where there is potential for the crystal components business.

If you could travel back in time to witness an event at Swarovski that happened before you were born, what would it be and why?

The era of Daniel Swarovski. This visionary saw no limitations and set out to patent the first modern crystal-cutting machine. With his ground breaking ideals, he led his company to new heights, paving the path of innovation for decades to follow.

Definitely, this would have been the period I would have preferred to have been born.

stephanie@khaleejtimes.com