Swarovski
Founded by the Bohemian Daniel Swarovski in 1895, the Austrian company is still the world leader as a producer of cut crystal. The company uses high precision electronic tools invented by Daniel Swarovski himself, that have been perfected with the passing of time to reach their excellent current standards. Crystals that resemble precious and semi-precious stones, strass and even natural stones are the main areas of production. In the fields of jewelry, accessories, and furnishings, they have continually found new ways of applying their skills, bringing on board designers and stylists of international fame. 1976 marked the birth of the Swarovski Silver Crystal, the first line of finished products that the firm offered to the market: candleholders, paperweights, and other gift items. In 1987, the Swarovski Collectors Society was formed, which proposed limited edition articles designed by architects and artists of international repute, such as Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendini. In 1989, the company launched a collection of haute couture accessories, which can today be bought in boutiques and certain department stores together with Swarovski Jeweller’s Collection. In 1992 a new series of vases, goblets, and watches was launched, signed by designers such as Giampiero Maria Bodino and Borek Sipek. Thanks to its in-house style team, the Austrian firm has established a clearly defined image for itself, particularly after it set up a trend book in 1999 aimed at the world of fashion and jewelry.
&Quad;2003, February. The launch of Crystal, a super luminous material creating lunar effects. This innovation was presented in New York during the fashion show of the child prodigy Zac Posen, who uses the material in some of his creations.