Swarovski gives priority to crystal in design, fashion

SINGAPORE (JP): Swarovski charmed an audience with a lavish fashion parade featuring its collection of accessories at the newly-refurbished Raffles Hotel in Singapore last weekend.

Executive Art Director Rosemarie Le Gallais told The Jakarta Post before the show that the company aims at producing accessories that can transform a modern working wardrobe from day to night, from functional to fantastic. At the same time, the collection was intended to bring crystal into the forefront of design and high fashion.

Women's lives are becoming so much faster and complicated that clothes and dressing up in general must be made very simple, she noted.

However, women still want to look beautiful by wearing a large variety of accessories and other fashion jewelry to complement their outfits, she added.

"Women tend to leave fine jewelry which is so expensive and is sometimes produced by adopting traditional styles. They prefer fashion jewelry which offers various fresh and creative and colorful designs. Besides, they don't have to worry that their fashion jewelry will be stolen," Le Gallais said.

Starting her design career with famous German designer Karl Lagerfeld at Chloe and Karl Lagerfeld SA 15 years ago, Le Gallais is now responsible for almost all of Swarovski's accessories.

The fashion parade featured works by Le Gallais for the current summer season as well as this year's autumn and winter seasons. Held in collaboration with the Singapore's Glamourette, the show opened when a number of models, many of them Indonesian, presented a series of Swarovski's accessories which included elegant and exquisite, crystal-encrusted bags, belts, gloves and jewelry.

The fashion show drew more than a hundred potential clients from Singapore and countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong and China.

A Bangkok Post reporter commented, "What a marvelous items but still many of them are unwearable."

Peggy Nicholas, a fashion director of a Singapore-based Couturier magazine added, "They look too fancy, but indeed, they make a revolution in designs."

Swarovski's crystal isn't only meant for accessories but also to decorate clothes. When a number of models presented eye- catching bridal gowns and evening gowns trimmed with crystal stones, the audience gave a standing ovation which also closed the show. (raw)