<i>It all started with a little crystal mouse. Now the Swarovski name is associated with a whole menagerie of crystal figurines, home dÉcor accessories, gift articles, designer objets d'art, haute couture fashion accessories and its own line of jewelry. The next logical step for increasing brand awareness was the creation of its own retail stores. </i>




Swarovski has a new address in Switzerland with the opening of a store at 7 Bahnhofplatz in Zurich. This new boutique houses the entire Swarovski product range including the exclusive Daniel Swarovski Jewelry Collection and Daniel Swarovski Home Accessories line.
The new Zurich store is an example of the company's globally uniform `shop-concept' archi- tecture, which is now being implemented in all of Swarovski's retail boutiques and shop-in-shop stores. Based on a color concept by French designer Joël Desgrippes, the architectural design is an ideal expression of the fascination of crystal. The most striking color in the store decor is the warm coral red of the walls and the main ceiling. This provides stark contrast to the blue backgrounds of the showcases and the feature ceiling. The two colors evoke the association of fire and air, with a deep blue sky and the red earth.
The basic principle behind the design concept, namely to create an ambiance that stirs up the emotions of the beholder, is continued in the other materials used in the store. The warm glow created by these rich, matte materials provides an excellent backdrop for the sparkling crystal. The effects are enhanced by the contrast between the stark minimalist lines of the wall elements and the soft shapes of many of the showcases.
The showcases themselves are fitted with a specially developed Swarovski fiber optic lighting system, allowing for the best possible presentation of the multi-facetted crystals. Swarovski also developed special lighting for the store, using a computer-aided reflector system to evenly illuminate the room, bathing it in soft light, and avoiding any glare. The ceiling is a starry sky studded with Swarovski crystal fiber optic lighting and completes the feeling of entering a crystal universe.
Swarovski now has its own retail stores in over 20 countries across Europe, Asia, Australia, North American and Latin America.

Swarovski uses specially designed lighting to showcase its crystal objects in its new red and blue boutique in Zurich.

Exterior of the recently opened Swarovski boutique in Zurich.


http://www.swarovski.com
(please credit europastar.com)

Source: Couture International Jeweler
August - September 03 issue