Ice, Ice, Baby: Behind the Crystal Curtains at Swarovski Headquarters

It’s true—here in the littlest state in the country resides the North American headquarters for the world’s leading crystal maker. Swarovski, which crafts crystal jewelry and couture, home decor, chandeliers, figurines and loose crystal elements, is based in Cranston and I was delighted to spend an afternoon at their home base to learn about the company’s legendary past—and exciting future. While the brand conjures up images of pure luxury, Swarovski also takes an approachable, “everyday” point of view. As I was told, the product line has been designed to be worn “from ball gowns to boating.” So when the company was looking for the ideal brand ambassador to represent the Swarovski lifestyle, there was one clear choice: Miranda Kerr. Model, mother and fresh faced fashionista, Kerr is featured in the new spring campaign and I saw some amazing behind the scenes footage from the shoot which included a song composed exclusively for Swarovski by Pharrell Williams. It’s clear Kerr continues the legacy of a brand that since its founding in 1895, has collaborated with Coco Chanel and Christian Dior among other lead designers. To put their versatility in perspective, consider this: Swarovski crystals can be found on some of the most iconic pop culture pieces, including Judy Garland’s red ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz to Michael Jackson’s glove. Swarovski has an on-site retail shop for employees and guests where I spotted the “Slake” wrap bracelet glittering with Jet Hematite crystals on black microfiber which has become one of my favorite wear-with-anything pieces:

Want to know where you can find Swarovski locally, click here for the boutique finder http://www.swarovski.com/Web_US/en/boutiquefinder or shop online (with a great post-holiday sale going on right now) by clicking here. Here’s a few more images from inside the crystal doors of Swarovski:

Thank you Swarovski for having me as your guest!