Day 2, Tue 9 June

Today the fabulous Nadja Swarovski is hosting an exclusive open dat in Swarovski's absolutely blinging new office to celebrate London Jewellery Week 2009. When i say blinging, the word just isn't enough, there are crystals everywhere; seats, lights, mannequins, sofas, desk, walls and the staff are all adorned in the amazing medium. Just look at the images taken of the HQ.

Around the office are highlights from the Runway Rocks shows, the internally acclaimed collection of couture catwalk jewellery, highlights from designers of stage and stage and the newest additions to the Atelier Swarovski collection recently launched for AW09.

All the pieces on the mannequins are one-off creations for Swarovski Runway Rocks shows that take place all over the world and are a mix of collaborations from architects to fashion designers. The cross over off mediums is very interesting and the form in the designers pieces clearly reflects their background design areas.

The newest addition to Atelier Swarovski and will be available at the Swarovski store on St Marylebone bone, is a chunky yet precious collection the stones show every colour in rainbow yet the solid metals provide a rigid a industrial feel.

As mentioned above Swarovski has collaborations from every design area, with artists at the top of they game as well as new and up coming designer. Fashion designer, Giles Deacon shows how the design process can be tested to the extreme with his curious yet successful mix of textures and form.

For his fifth Atelier Swarovski collection, Christopher Kane a scottish-born fashion designer, translates influences from the Pharonic middle-east into these truly majestic pieces. The pieces come alive with a simple and elegant colour scheme of jet and crystal stones, the antique-like settings give a real luxurious feel to the collection, but it's the use of the scarabs that really draw the eye, they are a a symbol of creation, so what better match.

Anthony Nak is a talented architectural and furniture design duo from Texas. Their Atelier Swarovski collection holds recognisable structure yet is very delicate in execution. You can clearly see the inspiration from dark Gothic buildings found all over Europe. Looking over the collection words like; bold, vertical and dramatic spring to mind all words you would use to describe the rooftop of a Gothic cathedral. The settings really stand out, the precious stones are shroud and flipped then bound by twisted silver strands, another engineering challenge but perfectly executed.

Stephen Webster, a patron of Coutts London Jewellery Week, is well known for going further than a mile when given an inch. His Atelier Swarovski collection draws inspiration from the sexual undertones and dark romanticism from the story Little Red Riding Hood. What?! I hear you ask, well think about it, skip skip skipping around the woods in a scarlet cape, tall dark stranger approaches, anyway back to the jewellery. The pieces are beautifully ferocious, the contrast in colours add an edge and the materials used are really intriguing, enough so to make you want to stop and talk to anyone anywhere, be it a wolf in the woods or granny.

As well all these stunning collaborations, Swarovski plays an underexposed role in stage and screen and these images show their participation in the recent blockbuster The Young Victoria.

I didn't want to leave! But the rest of the London Jewellery scene was awaiting my arrival.
c

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