This is the dawn of an exciting time for Swarovski. We have undergone a major change of direction and have adopted a new, modern image.
This is the moment we have all been working toward since the start of our transformation: our stores are getting a new look. Even though our online business is becoming increasingly important – and has experienced another huge boost due to the pandemic – our stores are still a valuable space that allows our customers to physically immerse themselves in the world of Swarovski. That is why the New Retail Landscape (NRL) showcases our new brand identity in the most sensuous of ways: through stimulating colors, luxurious textures, and inspiring elements. But it is not just the visual that will change, everything that can be experienced by the senses will change too. The entire customer journey will be enhanced by the NRL. A complete concept is being created that will captivate our customers and at the same time entice them to gaze in awe at the many new things to discover!
“We want to evoke the sense of wonder, tactility, and exploration that Daniel Swarovski dreamed of creating with each and every crystal more than 125 years ago,” says Creative Director Giovanna Engelbert describing the new store concept.
She had a clear vision right from the start: to let Swarovski shine in a new light. More colorful, bolder, more diverse, more exclusive. This means we are moving away from our previous concept of the Crystal Forest developed for Swarovski by star designer Tokujin Yoshioka in 2008.
THE WONDERLAND
Our new retail concept for all store formats, by contrast, provides a wonderland of expression and is a unique customer experience. The most striking difference from the old concept? The new brand colors. A playful and vibrant kaleidoscope of green, yellow, pink, blue, and Swan White. These candy-colored shades will be applied lavishly
across the entire interior. Another new feature that acts as a constant visual highlight is the octagon. The modern octagonal shape is our brand’s contemporary signature symbol, as well as a tribute to the craftsmanship of crystal cutting. It can also be found in our Swan Icon, on our packaging, our visual merchandising tools, and many other elements. The octagons also adorn the walls, creating a textured, standout showroom for Crystal Creations, jewelry, writing instruments, watches, and accessories. Another highlight of the new stores are sculptural metal busts – 3D scans of real people – that present jewelry in a vibrant and realistic way. The visual merchandising also primarily features soft textures such as velvet, Saffiano, or silk, which have an exclusive and luxurious feel.
As a symbol of the brand, the octagon can be seen everywhere in our stores. Sculptural metal busts present the products in a way that is dynamic and accessible
THE MAJORITY
However, since renovations like these also take up a lot of time and resources, the interim Wondercolor solution was devised.
“The project was born out of a need to quickly transform as many Swarovski stores as possible in line with the NRL concept in order to support the repositioning of the brand, the creative direction, and the customer experience in conjunction with our brand strategy,” explains Domenico Massa, Retail Architecture Engineering Manager, Retail Architecture Development & Planning.
In practical terms, this means adapting existing store furniture to the NRL using a full wrapping process, bathed in the brand’s green or pink colors. Crystal installations and elements of the Crystal Forest concept are being removed. However, large elements, such as crystal columns, will remain in place. This idea of upcycling with Wondercolor also makes sense from a sustainability perspective. In the 2021 fiscal year, we have asked our construction partners to recycle more than 100 metric tons of material, and we will introduce material recycling as a standard procedure. Furthermore, as fewer lighting elements are being used, the NRL consumes about 30 percent less energy than Crystal Forest.
THE SERVICE FEELING
Colors, shapes, textures – the brand’s visual transformation is unmistakable. But the NRL goes even further. The goal is to create a holistic, cross-channel, and consistent luxury experience that reflects our vision and offers real benefits to our customers. In our stores, the focus is on 1:1 customer service. Crystal Experts will build a more personal relationship with customers, inspiring them with our heritage, our collections, and our new creative direction. Storytelling is a key part of the customer experience. Sales tablets, for example, will help our experts to have all product information at their fingertips and to serve customers as seamlessly as possible. An uncomplicated return and exchange process rounds off the store experience.
Our commitment to our customers also extends beyond our stores. A range of different services enriches the shopping experience and links the online and offline worlds, known as the omnichannel approach. These services include Click and Reserve, Buy Online Pick Up in Store, Buy Online Ship to Store, Buy Online Return to Store, and Ship from Store. These all make shopping a more convenient and faster experience, involve the stores as touchpoints for online orders as well, and reduce the workload for us. The digital version of GROM will further optimize in-store service. This tool has supported Crystal Experts in running their stores using standardized processes for a long time. The new paperless version now turns Swarovski into a more sustainable and digital company overall while making the stores even more efficient. When daily bureaucratic and infrastructural tasks are completed more quickly, Crystal Experts have more time to focus on customers – and thus bring the new face of Swarovski to life.