You sexy bling

Swarovski's dazzling Tokyo store is the first in the company's worldwide revamp

Swarovski's new store in Tokyo is the first in the company's worldwide revamp, an investment it hopes will attract a younger clientele and ensure a sparkling future

Simple curiosity is luring Tokyo’s young fashionistas to broach the cascade of mirrored steel panels on the facade of Swarovski’s new flagship in the city’s flash Ginza district. The impressive feature raises a reflective curtain on a store that has crystal “fossils” embedded in the floor tiles and metal wall reliefs that act like prisms. This showy ice world, dressed with a massive crystal chandelier and crystal fountain, even has a crystal staircase that leads to an installation of 20,000 additional crystals, giving the effect of shooting stars.

If we needed confirmation that luxury retailers are employing theatre in the service of commerce, this design by Tokujin Yoshioka is it. His concept of a “crystal forest” presents a sparkling new face for the Austrian company begun by Daniel Swarovski in 1895. The brand synonymous with animal figurines and crystal vases wants to send a message that it now offers a dazzling range of jewellery, bags and belts, as well as consumer electronics and travel goods.

Last year, Swarovski introduced a crystal-encrusted range of electronics – Active Crystals – in partnership with Philips. Sales of these are ahead of target, with The Lock Out USB Memory Key showing high demand. Also popular are the company’s Space headphones; sales of these per store per month match those of its top five jewellery lines. In 2010, Swarovski will launch a range of crystal-embellished cosmetics in conjunction with Clarins.

“Democratisation of luxury is an approach that has been taken up by many brands,” says Robert Buchbauer (great-great-grandson of Daniel) who, as head of consumer goods, is driving the reinvention. “We want to put the same effort into every product, whether it’s low or highly priced.”
With Japan’s renowned appetite for luxury brands, Buchbauer sees plenty of potential to re-establish the company in the region.

Yoshioka, who won a competition to create the Ginza store’s design, says he had to overcome many technological challenges to realise his vision. “Crystals are so delicate and difficult to work with,” he explains through an interpreter. “I had to conduct a lot of experiments to see if what I wanted to do was possible.”

Yoshioka’s design is being standardised to make it suitable for various store formats. Australia has been promised its first new crystal forest flagship in 2011, although its location has not been announced. “Swarovski’s crystal forest is one of the most amazing fit-outs I’ve seen,” says Sydney Airport retail manager Mark Lucey, who wants the new look in the refit of the T1 International Terminal. “I need to have that new design. Their old orange and blue one is getting tired.”

The logistical and financial challenge facing the company is underlined by its retail expansion in recent years. The number of shops has leapt from 759 in 2001 to 1300 in 2007. Buchbauer estimates the changeover will take three to five years at an average cost of $500,000 per store.

Crucial to Swarovski’s continued growth is the flair of creative director Nathalie Colin-Roblique, who came on board in 2006 from a background in fashion, first at Perry Ellis – alongside Marc Jacobs – then at French trend forecasting agency Promotstyl. She designed the company’s new Swanflower motif (four swans in the shape of a flower) to coincide with the Tokyo store opening. The symbol is being used in myriad ways, from cabochons on clutches to cut-outs on metal bracelets or, more subtly, encrusted in crystal mesh or embossed on leather.

Colin-Roblique says her vision for the trademark is to hold fast to its heritage while moving boldly forward fashion-wise in the pioneering spirit of Daniel Swarovski, who, in 1892, invented a revolutionary machine that cut crystal stones to a higher level of precision than previously imagined.

In 1976 Swarovski launched its first gift and collectible consumer products. It was so successful that the company moved into fashion jewellery the following year. With the revival of bling, fashion designers have become increasingly creative in using Swarovski crystals and beads as garment embellishments. This has also helped the company to guard against a time when glitz may not be so fashionable.

“We’ve developed different shapes, colours and surface treatments for the crystals,” Buchbauer says. “We can use more subtle colours and surfaces and different cuts. So, if there’s less of a bling trend in general, we still have a story to tell.”

Anne Lim travelled to Tokyo as a guest of Swarovski.