Swarovski and Ben-Amun: The World Tour

Some people see the world through rose tinted glasses. Here at Ben-Amun, we prefer our frames studded with Swarovski crystals. This turned out to be a convenient preference, when Ben-Amun designer Isaac Manevitz was selected for the prestigious role of designing the jewelry for Swarovski’s Elements Inspirations Fall/Winter 2012/13. It proved to be an even more convenient preference when it was announced that the inspiration for the pieces to be designed by Manevitz was global conurbation. If you don’t know what the word conurbation means (and don’t worry neither did we) it translates to several cities coming together to create an extensive urban area, but retaining their individual identities.

Swarovski saw this choice of inspiration as a natural progression from that of the previous season: nature and the Earth, and developed its five “Swarovski Elements” to correspond. As industry insiders know, Swarovski’s international presence has established the company as an influential trend predictor. To be chosen to work with the company on creating its Inspirations looks is quite an honor. In fact, it is a privilege that had never been offered to an American designer, previous to Ben-Amun’s selection. Swarovski writes on their website: “Ben-Amun perfectly expresses this season’s trend, and no wonder: Isaac Manevitz, the creative brain behind the label, is well qualified to capture metropolitan fizz and energy. Born in Cairo and based in New York, his signature style could be described as ‘wearable art’.” Thanks, Swarovski! We couldn’t agree more!

The combination of Swarovski’s materials, Manevitz’s traveler’s eye, and the host of breathtaking cities chosen to inspire the jewelry made for a glamorous world tour. So, if you’d like to see the world with a little extra sparkle, read on!

The five Swarovski Elements selected for the Fall/Winter 2012/13 seasons were Classic, Harmony, Romantic, Progressive, and Glamour, and the cities selected to represent Elements were Chicago, Copenhagen, Shanghai, Berlin, and Istanbul. For a sneak peek at the final product of the collaboration, check out the images below!

Chicago's crisp and tailored elegance keeps things "Classic":

Copenhagen's unisex cool charecterizes "Harmony":

Shanghai's decadent heritage calls for "Romantic" jewels:

Hip and high-energy Berlin is the epitome of "Progressive":



Instanbul's sumptuous color palette and grandeur translate simply to "Glamour":

Whether your chosen specs are rose tinted or Swarovski studded, we hope that at least for a few minutes you got to enjoy the world the way we do here at Ben-Amun.

-Kristin