A new sparkle

A new sparkle

Swarovski family member launches her own brand.

The Associated Press

Published Sunday, January 11, 2009

As a member of the famed Austrian crystal family, Vanessa Swarovski Piedra grew up around beautiful sparkling objects. Now she is creating a few of her own.

Swarovski Piedra, the great-great-granddaughter of Swarovski Corp. founder Daniel Swarovski, launched a jewelry collection this fall featuring Swarovski crystals under her own brand, VSP. Plans for the brand extend beyond jewelry, including candles, crystal-studded pashminas and throws and crystal-adorned furniture.

The collection is playful and young: shimmery bracelets featuring tiny crystals that can link together to create necklaces or belts; crystal pendants hanging from cords; even children’s pieces.

Bob Maxwell, who has carried VSP jewelry since November in his Warwick, N.Y., boutique Style Counsel, said that the pendant - which comes with or without a diamond - makes a bold statement but isn’t overpowering.

"It can be dressy, or they can wear it casually with jeans and a white shirt," he said.

Another line features crystals backed with faces from Old Master paintings. "It’s such an untraditional use of the product. You’re wearing art," said Colleen Brennan, creative director of VSP and a partner, who came up with the idea.

The collection, which debuted this fall at the Dallas Apparel and Accessories Market Show, is already being carried by several boutiques across the country and this spring will be available in Macy’s Herald Square location in New York City, Swarovski Piedra and Brennan said.

The pieces range from about $60 to $600. Swarovski Piedra and Brennan aren’t too worried about the effect of the ailing economy, saying that crystal jewelry allows people to get a quality item without the cost of more expensive fine jewelry.

Designers are more often mixing fine jewelry - precious metals and gemstones - with less expensive materials, said Helena Krodel, spokesperson for the Jewelry Information Center, a trade association.

She said the combination helps keep prices down, resulting in more sales.

Maxwell said that in a troubled economy, it helps to offer something new.

"It really has to be something that grabs people," Maxwell said. "I don’t think people are looking for something they’ve had already."