Speaks Nadja Swarovski, president of the Austrian group specializing in crystals and maison that churns out hundreds of bijoux every year. And that’s not all. Swarovski supplies dozens of other manufacturers with the glittering elements that make up bracelets, earrings and necklaces. Nadja Swarovski gave an interview to the monthly magazine Style that gioiellis.com reports below. Here it is.
«She grew up with fairy tales. Unlike other little girls, those for Nadja were true stories. Her mother tucked her in at home in Wattens, Austria, telling her about her ancestor, Daniel Swarovski, who embellished Queen Victoria’s dresses with crystals. And how her grandfather had studied, with Christian Dior, a way to «reproduce» an aurora borealis, through those glittering pieces. Long legs and blonde hair (married to a manager, Rupert Adams, and a mother three times), it is no wonder that it was she who transformed the serious business of Swarovski into an empire of beauty and technology.
With a German father and an American mother, she grew up in a small town near the factory. University in Dallas to study Art History; from there to the galleries of New York it was a short step. In 1995 she flew to Hong Kong to follow the family business (today she is a member of the Executive Committee of Swarovski and President of the Board of Directors of the Foundation of the same name). Then the intuition: to open sophisticated showrooms to inspire visitors to explore the infinite possibilities of the product. Sales soared; Alexander McQueen used crystals in a collection and the company returned to the center of fashion. And of cinema: Swarovski Entertainment (the production company of which Nadja is president) signed the first production with Romeo & Juliet written by Oscar winner Julian Fellowes, author of Downton Abbey and family friend.
Why did you decide to invest in cinema?
I am a businesswoman, I follow the theory that failure is not an option. I look at profits, I am interested in a connection between the films and the company’s products, whether they are lamps, jewelry or clothes.
You had already collaborated on successes such as Skyfall and The Great Gatsby, but now…
I waited a long time to produce a film with my name, until Romeo & Juliet came along. Love is a positive subject, in line with my values, I even made an agreement with Disney to work on Cinderella: you know those glass slippers… (laughs)?
What does “business woman” mean to you?
I heard Damian Lewis (one of the actors in the film) say “whatever you do, if it has a strong meaning for you, it will become wonderful”. This is business in my opinion. It is easier to do a job you are passionate about than to choose one just to make money.
Do you like to take risks, with money?
They say that only two films out of ten are successful; I prefer not to exaggerate: I don’t have enough experience. So I opted for a co-production, but I didn’t like it. What I did in the company, from creative choices to strategies, was always my decision. I want total control.
And when you don’t have it?
It’s frustrating, you have to know how to communicate with a lot of people around you. In Hollywood, for example, decisions wait for general consensus, you have to hope for the best final result.
What did you find in Los Angeles that was unexpected?
Cinema is a world in which you have to read between the lines; I am much more direct and transparent in my movements.
Rumor has it that the next film you will produce will be written by Oscar winner David Seidler and will tell the story of the world of fashion.
What I have seen for years is the effort that stylists make: most people can’t imagine it. When my friends say “I want to go to the fashion show with you”, they have no idea how much they get on my nerves… The film will be set in England at a time of fashion revolution in which designers have started to be truly appreciated.
She is close to young English designers…
I started working with Alexander McQueen when no one knew who he was, watching the evolution he has had pushes me to support young people like Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders, Holly Fulton and I could go on. In Europe and America the big brands have dominated, but the competition will help…
How many crystal chandeliers do you have at home?
Only two (laughs): one green; the other pink and blue. When I look at the sun hitting them creating a rainbow, I forget I’m in London…
