MILAN — It’s definitely Ariana Grande’s shining moment.
After nabbing her first Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category for her performance as Glinda in “Wicked,” the American singer, actress and pop icon is unveiling her first creative collaboration with Swarovski, the company that named her global brand ambassador last year.
Following her first appearance in such a role for the Swarovski’s holiday campaign last October, Grande now fronts the black-and-white campaign promoting her capsule collection with the renowned crystal-maker, which was again photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.
You May Also Like
Co-created with Swarovski’s global creative director Giovanna Engelbert, the 16-item range dropping on Tuesday is inspired by Grande’s passion for music, expressed via striking jewelry shaped after musical notes and hearts.
Hinging on clear crystals in a variety of cuts and settings and punctuated by pearls, the collection encompasses bracelets, chokers, earrings and sinuous ear cuffs, including one in the guise of a violin key. These add to even bolder pieces, such as an eye-catching heart pendant and a whimsical tiara.
Grande enthused about continuing her “creative journey with Swarovski by bringing my love for music and self-expression to this shining jewelry collection, codesigned with Giovanna,” while the Swarovski’s global creative director described the collaborative process as “a dream.”
“Her artistic energy deeply inspired our creative journey, leading us to a collection that celebrates contemporary glamour through classic elegance and a touch of modernity,” Engelbert said. “My vision was to merge Swarovski’s heritage of craftsmanship with Ariana’s vibrant spirit, creating a collection that resonates with lovers of music and elegance worldwide. This collection stands as a testament to the power of creative synergy between iconic style and timeless elegance, principles that I hold dear as a creative director.”
First launching in a selection of stores, the Ariana Grande x Swarovski capsule collection will be available globally in Swarovski’s boutiques and e-commerce from Thursday. Prices will range from 119 euros for pierced earrings up to 400 euros for the statement items like the tiara and heart-shaped necklace.
For the occasion, the company will also set up immersive, pink-hued pop-ups at luxury locations across the world, including at Harrods in London, Galeries Lafayette in Paris and Mall of the Emirates in Dubai.
At Harrods, the 807-square-foot pop-up located on the ground floor will be complemented by five windows facing Brompton Road featuring the campaign. Inspired by Old Hollywood, the pop-up will be replete of a pink popcorn machine and Hollywood set chairs, and will be decked out with Swarovski’s signature octagon shelf units, mirrors, tables and an octagonal cash desk. Customers purchasing pieces from the Swarovski x Ariana Grande capsule collection will receive pink shopping bags embellished with metallicized pink ribbons and treble clef charms, with first purchasers receiving a pink crystalized sweatshirt, too.
The pop-up at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann will be styled in the same way, although it will be half the size compared to London, while in Dubai the brand’s presence will extend beyond the central atrium, with digital screens featuring the campaign running throughout the Mall of the Emirates.
Dedicated activations also will be implemented in key cities such as New York, Tokyo and Milan.
An advocate for inclusivity and women’s empowerment, animal rights, mental health, and gender, racial and LGBTQIA+ equality, Grande celebrated her first Oscar nomination with an emotional post on Instagram, shared with her 376 million followers. As reported, “Wicked” picked up 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Costume Design. Costar Cynthia Erivo is also up for Best Actress, her second nomination in the category following her role in 2019’s “Harriet.”
The duo made the fashion headlines for months as the press tour promoting the first installment of “Wicked” unfolded as they embraced method dressing, wearing custom designs by Louis Vuitton, Thom Browne, Versace and Vivienne Westwood.
But Grande’s career goes way beyond the silver screen and red carpet. The Grammy Award-winning artist is known for her four-octave vocal range and whistle register. Her 2019 album “Thank U, Next” delivered two Billboard Hot 100 number-one songs with its title track and “7 Rings,” making Grande the first solo artist to simultaneously occupy the top three positions on the chart.
Grande launched her cosmetics brand R.E.M. Beauty in 2021, following a fragrance venture that debuted in 2015. Last year she launched Cloud Pink, the newest variation from her Cloud perfume family as part of her ongoing partnership with Luxe Brands.
No wonder Swarovski wanted to tap into Grande’s star power, in sync with the revamp Engelbert set in motion with her arrival at the 130-year-old company. Since joining Swarovski in 2020, Engelbert has worked to elevate the perception of the brand, further extending collaborations — including a major co-branding with Kim Kardashian’s Skims — and developing the lab-grown diamonds collections, entering the luxury sphere. She drove Swarovski’s embrace of a bolder and more colorful aesthetic, attracted younger customers without betraying its loyal and established ones and refreshed the brand’s retail network with new stores and flagships in key global cities including Shanghai, Zurich, New York and Seoul.
Today, Swarovski Crystal Business has 6,600 points of sale — 2,300 of which are owned stores — in more than 150 countries and employs 16,600 people. Together with its sister companies, Swarovski Optik (optical devices) and Tyrolit (abrasives), it forms the Swarovski Group.
