Back in May, Swarovski announced that Bella Hadid will be its new face. Sounds divine, no? Alongside this decision, the iconic classic crystal jewellers took on a creative director, Giovanna Engelbert, for the first time in its history. Why? It undertook a rebrand that marks, in our opinion, one of the best examples of a traditional classic brand maintaining their iconography while also looking into its future potential by means of transformative opportunities.
“Bella Hadid sums up the individualistic and transformative attitude of a new global generation. She is a multifaceted character who evades the boxes of rules and conformity. She goes from sporty to glamorous while remaining the same girl – the same Bella – with confidence and authority. In that sense, she conveys the values of Swarovski to perfection. Today, crystals are a dynamic part of our everyday wardrobe: a way of accentuating your individual style in a way that can be as casual as it can be elaborate. Bella is the poster girl for this state of mind” expressed Engelbert.
Coined by Engelbert as Swarovski Wonderlab, the rebrand is described as a place where science and magic meet, and extra and elegance collide. “It is a feeling of wonder that everyone should experience as we invite them into our new world at Swarovski,” said Engelbert, whose vision of the concept is inspired by her own imaginary crystal world, in a statement.
Charging ahead with the fresh viewpoint, Swarovski even opened the doors to its first Instant Wonder store in Milan’s Galleria last year. The retail space designed in partnership with Villa Eugenie boasts a decor that reflects the brand’s upcoming campaign and novel visual vocabulary.
The rebrand also features a reimagined Swarovski Swan. The brand’s iconic beacon of self-expression now takes on a more streamlined form with an elongated neck and is nestled within a candy-like octagon wrapping that pays tribute to a faceted crystal. The direction of the swan has also flipped to literally depict the brand moving into a new direction.
As we move into web3 such an immersive, future-thinking rebrand that both maintains tradition and encourages futurism will allow this brand to transition smoothly into various forms of marketing in the near future.
