AUSTRIA. Swarovski has unveiled details of its first collection featuring the popular Hello Kitty cat character, as well as its mainline Wings of Fantasy Fall/Winter 2011 range.
The Hello Kitty collection of jewellery, accessories and figurines is the result of a collaboration between Japanese company Sanrio and Swarovski, and debuts in a selection of Swarovski’s 1,900 stores from August 2011.
Described as playful, the range is under the artistic direction of Nathalie Colin and features seven necklaces and pendants. Many pieces offer an interplay of delicate chains. Hello Kitty’s face appears on each creation, either alone, or with other icons from her world, such as bows, flowers, stars and apples.
The Hello Kitty crystal pendant is made of faceted crystal, made with a new type of faceting developed closely with Sanrio for an exclusive crystal stone, along with Hello Kitty’s head and pink bow.
The long pendant incorporates Swarovski’s Pointiage technique. Applied by hand, an array of clear, black and yellow crystals are combined with many pink mini-crystals to create Hello Kitty’s dress. An epoxy bow in Pointiage is accented with fuchsia crystal pearls and movable symbols.
Dubbed a collector’s item, the linked bracelet incorporates interchangeable charms. Hello Kitty, with her bow in pink faceted crystal, are created in Pointiage or coloured pavé crystal. The delicate chain features clear, red and pink crystals.
Two rings complete the jewellery collection. One set is made up of three rings which incorporate Hello Kitty’s face, a bow and an apple. These can be worn individually or together. Earrings present her bow in pink mini-crystals, with two clear crystal and red set hearts suspended from them.
A range of leathergoods is also part of the collection. Hello Kitty’s features are applied through embroidery, stamped leather and coloured embroidered crystals to a coin purse, card holder and bag charm.
For evening, the classic Power bag in clear crystal mesh is customised in line with the rest of the collection. The bag features a white leather embossed logo.
Three figurines complete the offering for Fall/Winter 2011. Exclusively created by Swarovski, Hello Kitty is presented in fully faceted crystal, wearing a pink, red or purple blow, and holding her apple or teddy bear.
For collectors, a limited-edition piece produced entirely in Pointiage will also be available. Only 88 pieces are available worldwide. It features almost 20,000 crystals applied by hand using Swarovski’s signature technique.
SWAROVSKI WINGS OF FANTASY FALL/WINTER 2011/12 COLLECTION
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Left: The Polly collection; Right: Paloma necklace and Prelude bangle, both from the Wings of Fantasy A/W 2011 collection |
Wings of Fantasy is described as the final chapter in the Beyond Nature trilogy jewellery collection by Swarovski Artistic Director Nathalie Colin. It is said to express her vision of a natural world that is artistic, mysterious and ornamental.
A theatrical winter is the focus, and the muse of the season is a woman who symbolises an elegant, intricate bird in flight. “I imagined an artist, a star of the dancing world, in the intimate, serene setting of her dressing room, as she prepares her outfit for the stage,” explains Colin. “Suddenly, she transforms herself into an enigmatic and glamorous, modern, radiant diva as she takes to the stage. The collection tells of this metamorphosis from shadow into light.”
The collection depicts these two extremes in the life of the artist via the Cabinet of Dreams and Mysterious Disguise themes.
Cabinet of Dreams takes us into the artist’s dressing room, and consists of lucky charm, souvenirs linked to past performances, accessories inspired by dance, and trinkets set against iridescent colours. Delicate jewellery pieces sit alongside majestic jewels.
The Polly theme is said to reflect the heroine’s childhood, centring on a doll pendant featuring long plaits decorated with crystal. A second pendant features crystal pearls in a variety of colour shades that link a double gold-plated chain. Completing the theme are three bracelets on a red, violet or turquoise cord with pave, gold-plated details.
Inspired by the wings of a bird, the Pigment ring is rectangular in black agate covered with feathers of mini-crystals in metallic tones and shades applied by hand, known as the Pointiage technique.
The People necklace evokes feathers fluttering in the breeze, each crystal encircled by crystal sequins or briolettes with Aurora Borealis highlights.
Inspired by a moving tutu, the Paloma necklace offers seven palladium circles with shaded pavé mini-crystals, reflecting the sequences of a dance. The spherical Prelude bangle also embodies a dancer moving.
Spectacular effects
Mysterious Disguise evokes a sophisticated profile, with spectacular effects. The jewellery pieces comprise mysterious colours, dramatic shaded tones, and dark flashes of light. The Parade necklace is structured around a blue crystal with threaded violet stones, and two feathers of clear crystals take flight. The Nirvana Petite ring complements the necklace.
The Proudly set features hand-embroidered navette crystals. With polychrome tones, the pieces pay homage to the feathers of majestic birds. The Pony ring, in ruthenium and violet epoxy, have hand-applied turquoise, mauve and violet mini-crystals.
The bird theme continues with the Phoenix pendant whose silver-plated wings feature pavé turquoise crystals; it displays an enormous violet crystal clasped under its beak. The Pure pendant is made up of a single teardrop crystal, set off by shaded Pointiage.
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