Swarovski to Stage Major Exhibition in Shanghai in September

Swarovski is gearing up to unveil a big exhibition in Shanghai next month, celebrating its almost 130 years of heritage and influence across the worlds of fashion, jewelry and pop culture.

Dubbed “Swarovski — Masters of Light from Vienna to Shanghai,” the show will be staged at the MoCA Shanghai contemporary art museum and run from Sept. 20 to Oct. 9.

The exhibition is meant to explore the company’s artistry in all things crystals and the impact it had on culture, from its origins in Austria — where Daniel Swarovski established the firm in 1895 — to the present day, under the vision of global creative director Giovanna Engelbert.

In particular, the launch of the company coincided with the dawn of haute couture, with the founder initially traveling to Paris and providing early couturiers with crystals in new cuts and colors, as well as new inspirations. These elements then infiltrated Hollywood, too, resulting in memorable cinematic moments.

To retrace these beginnings, the exhibition will showcase haute couture pieces and an array of stage costumes and red-carpet ensembles, many of which will be drawn from the Swarovski Heritage Collection and presented to the public for the first time.

In addition to the special bond with the fashion industry and pop culture, the show is poised to spotlight two other pillars, including its Austrian heritage and the firm’s craftsmanship and innovation, initiated with the revolutionary electric crystal-cutting machine created by the founder. Today the brand offers more than 300,000 varieties of crystal hues, cuts and effects, as well as fine jewelry collections made with Swarovski Created Diamonds, resulting in pieces set with laboratory grown diamonds that are identical to mined ones in terms of composition, hardness and brilliance.

Recently, Swarovski has also continued its collaboration game, teaming with the likes of Marvel and Disney for its 100th-anniversary celebration.

As reported, in 2021 the company, after a history of working with fashion designers, launched Swarovski Creators Lab, a platform dedicated to creating cutting-edge designs and collectible items in partnership with international brands. These included the development of dazzling sneakers with Golden Goose; special Amina Muaddi and Aquazzura sandals; Judith Leiber handbags; Nike Women’s Air Force 1 LXX sneakers; a FAO Schwarz nutcracker statuette, and a crystallized basketball with streetwear brand Market.

Last year, Swarovski Creators Lab also embarked on its first ready-to-wear collaboration with Advisory Board Crystals, while earlier this year it partnered with the Dover Street Market Paris Brand Development hub for a trifecta of collaborations with emerging fashion brands. In particular, the Austrian company joined forces with Weinsanto, Liberal Youth Ministry and Phileo to develop exclusive styles of bag, apparel and footwear, respectively.

Swarovski Crystal Business, which in 2022 reported a 10 percent increase in sales to 1.83 billion euros, has a global reach with about 2,200 stores and 6,700 points of sale in more than 150 countries and employs more than 18,000 people. Together with its sister companies Swarovski Optik (optical devices) and Tyrolit (abrasives), it forms the Swarovski Group.