Nadja Swarovski

Nadja Swarovski (born 1970) is an Austrian businesswoman. She joined the Swarovski family firm in 1995, 100 years after it was founded by her great-great-grandfather Daniel Swarovski in 1895 in Wattens, Austria.^[1] She is the first female member of the executive board.^[2]

Early life and education

Swarovski was born in Germany. She grew up hearing family stories of how her great-great-grandfather Daniel supplied Swarovski crystals to embellish Queen Victoria’s dresses, how her grandfather worked with Christian Dior to create the aurora borealis crystal stone effect;^[3] and she saw how her father Helmut Swarovski ensured that Swarovski remained at the forefront of technological advances and new market opportunities, including marketing crystal figurines.^[4]

She studied Art History at Southern Methodist University in Texas, and at Sotheby's Institute of Art and the Gemological Institute of America in New York City.^[2]

Career

Swarovski's career began at the Gagosian Gallery, before she went on to work for Eleanor Lambert, the legendary New York fashion PR.^[2] She began working for Swarovski Crystal Business in Hong Kong before developing the Creative Service Centre concept in New York followed by Paris, London and Singapore.^[5]

Since 2002, with her Swarovski Crystal Palace project, Swarovski has commissioned designers including Zaha Hadid, Ron Arad, Rogier van der Heide, Yves Behar and Tord Boontje to create cutting-edge designs, initially reinterpreting crystal chandeliers.^[6] The project has evolved to commission artistic installations that use Swarovski material and recent commissions include Iris by Fredrikson Stallard,^[7] (Design Miami/Basel 2011),^[8] Dream Cloud by Rogier van der Heide staged during the 2010 Design Week in Milan and St Paul’s Perspectives, an installation unveiled during the London Design Festival 2011 which was created by minimalist architect John Pawson. It used a precision-made Swarovski Optik lens and a suspended spherical steel mirror to reflect a new vision of the Geometric Staircase of St Paul’s Cathedral.

Swarovski has overseen Swarovski’s collaborations with fashion designers including Alexander McQueen, Philip Treacy, Hussein Chalayan, Erdem and Giles Deacon, supporting emerging and established design talent with the Swarovski Collective initiative.^[9] Under Swarovski's direction, the Swarovski Scholarship supports design students.^[10]

Swarovski is chairwoman and executive producer of Swarovski Entertainment^[11] which was established in 2010 to continue the company's collaboration with the film industry.^[12]

Other work

Nadja is a supporter of causes including Films Without Borders^[13] and the English National Ballet, as well as charities including Maggie's Centres, Women for Women,^[14] the NSPCC and Walk the Walk.

Since 2002 Swarovski has supported the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Awards, sponsoring awards for emerging talents in three categories.^[15]

Recognition

Swarovski received the Making a Difference Award 2012 from Women for Women International.^[16]

In 2011 the CFDA honoured Swarovski for continued support of the American fashion industry.^[17]

Swarovski received a Visionaries Award from the Museum of Art and Design in 2007.^[18]

In 2013, Swarovski received the NatWest UK Fashion & Textile Award for Outstanding Achievement.^[19][20]

Personal life

Swarovski is married to hedge-fund manager Rupert Adams. They live with their daughters Thalia and Jasmine and son Rigby in London.^[21] They also own a house in Windsor, a community in Vero Beach, Florida, USA.^[22]

References