This season Swarovski supported designers, Jason Wu, Creatures of the Wind, Tome, and Jeremy Scott, showcasing stunning Spring/Summer 2018 collections featuring nearly 2.2 million Swarovski crystals during New York Fashion Week. For the first time, designers Creatures of the Wind and Tome, had the opportunity to experiment with sustainable crystal joblots as they incorporated it into their new designs.
Jason Wu integrated Swarovski crystals into his collection alongside his latest jewelry collection for Atelier Swarovski at his runway show at Fulton Street Market. Wu embellished dresses with large asymmetrical crystals sewn on to printed fabric in neutral, golden and blue tones. For his third season with Atelier Swarovski, the designer evolved his ‘Mosaic‘ collection with an elegant and sculptural range of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings in clear and Silvershade crystals encased in polished gold-plated settings. Wu also showcased the ‘Prisma’ Collection, a versatile everyday range inspired by ‘Mosaic’, which will be more widely available in stores.
Jeremy Scott integrated 400,000 Swarovski crystals into his collection. This collection marks the 20th anniversary of Scott’s namesake label. The show featured four nylon tulle looks covered entirely in Swarovski crystals – a front-zip parka dress, a ruffled parka dress, a flight suit, and cargo pants – as well as fully-crystallized accessories including backpacks and men’s and women’s combat boots.
As part of its aim to drive positive change towards a more responsible fashion industry, Swarovski supported designers Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters to create a collection with sustainability at its heart. For the collection, entitled Further, the duo developed a custom lacquer featuring Swarovski Crystaldust, which is created as a by-product of Swarovski’s crystal cutting process. Over 1.7 million Swarovski Crystaldust pieces were applied as a finish to re-worked, one-of-a-kind leather coats, skirts and boots. Gabier and Peters were inspired by “the expansion of ideas and consciousness, making oneself available to new perspectives and possibilities, and the consideration of the existence of new worlds.”
“We’ve always tried to take a very careful and conscientious approach in our process of making and manufacturing. We go to great lengths to ensure that we are not wasteful in our development and in our material consumption. For our Spring 2018 collaboration with Swarovski, we chose to focus on one technique that we developed specifically for this season. We are using Swarovski Crystaldust as a ‘paint’; applying it as a repeat pattern over leather coats, skirts and boots. As it’s a by-product of other Swarovski components, it’s inherently sustainable,” explained Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters.
Swarovski supported designers Ryan Lobo and Ramon Martin to create a collection with sustainability at its heart towards a more responsible fashion industry. The duo incorporated Swarovski crystals recycled from past seasons in several looks. Lobo and Martin drew inspiration from legendary New York choreographer Pam Tanowitz, who choreographed their presentation. Crystals in vibrant hues were applied on cotton and silk fabrics to create a subtle shimmering effect and geometric crystal designs were strategically placed on garments to accentuate the movement of the body.
