Swarovski Opens Masters of Light in Hollywood
A new exhibition traces the bond between Swarovski and the sparkly history of Hollywood.
It may hail from the hills of Tyrol, but Hollywood is the spiritual home of Swarovski. On Tuesday evening in Tinseltown, the Austrian crystal maker celebrated its 130th anniversary with a sprawling exhibition dedicated to the historical relationship between Swarovski, fashion, and the stars of show business. Staged in the vast Amoeba Music record store, the showcase —titled Masters of Light — Hollywood — juxtaposes original stage and film costumes bedazzled with Swarovski crystals with runway looks created in a similar spirit. “It’s been a hundred years since the golden age of Hollywood and its costumes, and that’s when Swarovski was really starting to boom,” the company’s creative director, Giovanna Engelbert, said during a walkthrough. “It was at the center of so many creative disciplines in the arts, from costumes to fashion, and the combination between fashion and movies and Swarovski is a multiplier of amazingness.”
If stars are synonymous with sparkle, it’s easy to understand the natural part Swarovski has played in the history of Hollywood. Curated by fashion critic Alexander Fury — who spent the year tracking down some of the most memorable costumes in the annals of cinema and stage — the exhibition is a testament to Swarovski’s impact on show business and pop culture. At the glitzy opening, it was eminently illustrated in the presence of Cher, whose crystal-encrusted Bob Mackie dress from the 1975 premiere of The Cher Show features in the lineup.
As she made her way around the space alongside the likes of Kylie Jenner and Amelia Gray — all clad in bespoke Swarovski looks — the showbiz symbiosis at the heart of the showcase literally came to life. As the inventor and foremost purveyor of crystals for over a century, Swarovski’s sparkly imprint on entertainment and fashion can’t be underestimated.
SWAROVSKI
The exhibition includes filmic fashion moments like Nicole Kidman’s corseted tailcoat from Moulin Rouge!, Marlene Dietrich’s stole dress from Angel, and Greta Garbo’s regal gown from Queen Christina. Off the silver screen, the dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang “Happy Birthday” to John F. Kennedy — embellished with 2,500 crystals — leads to a hall filled with some of Swarovski’s most legendary creations for the stage, including costumes and fashion pieces worn by Madonna, Beyoncé, Grace Jones, and Harry Styles. “For me, it’s the fashion angle. There’s a Tina Turner dress by Gianni Versace from 1996, which is the first collection I remember,” Engelbert said, referring to a crystalized lace minidress worn by the singer on her Wildest Dreams Tour. “I want to showcase to the world the different layers of what we work with, from the fashion industry to costume design.”
Under the creative direction of Engelbert, who joined the company in 2020, Swarovski is evolving its place in the fashion and entertainment industries from supplier to creator. It’s a transition illustrated in the exhibition, which includes “jewelry couture” looks created by Engelbert for the Met Gala’s red carpet and a new line of lab-grown diamonds launched under the Swarovski emblem. “It’s 130 years of Swarovski, and to do it in Los Angeles felt so fitting,” Engelbert said. “America is a very important market for us now, which is amazing, and we thought it was important to give a clear vision of what Swarovski is about. My goal is that the exhibition shows the multi-facets of the brand. There are many whys, but that’s the most important to me.”
Asked how she manages the number of requests Swarovski gets from the realm of show business, the creative director smiled: “We get many requests, so we see what we can do without losing focus. I’m the gatekeeper of what I think is good and most relevant for the brand.”
Masters of Light — Hollywood runs from October 29 through November 3 at Amoeba Music. Tickets are $10, with proceeds supporting the charity Baby2Baby. The exhibition features a limited-edition merch collaboration with Erewhon.
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