Famous for its glittering crystals, inspiring jewelry designs and exciting collaborations with cutting-edge creatives, Swarovski is a brand that’s really going places. So too is its jet-setting board member Nadja Swarovski, here revealing how she achieves her work/life/travel balance.
What sort of travel does your role entail?
I am based in London, but we have offices around the world, including Paris, Milan, New York, Dubai and Los Angeles. We have a very full calendar of creative collaborations and other projects so I spend a lot of my time traveling to our different locations, including to our executive board meetings at our headquarters in Zurich and Wattens, Austria.
What is the very first thing you do when you arrive at your destination?
I normally unpack, head to the gym, shower and then debrief with my team ahead of my day.
Which essentials are you most likely to take with you?
An eye mask, earplugs, a ‘Kashwére’ blanket and lavender oil to ensure sound sleep, my gym clothes to get the oxygen flowing and make jet leg easier, oils and face masks to stay hydrated on the plane, and of course, photos of my children.
Which items are you most likely to pick up on your travels?
I tend to pick up gifts for my kids; normally books, pens or other educational toys. I also love to source local make-up brands for myself, and the kiddy version for my daughters.
Which cultural destinations do you love visiting on your travels?
I always love visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The ‘Manus x Machina’ exhibition featured some amazing techniques and processes from our creative collaborations with Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen and Iris Van Herpen. That relationship between creativity and technology is truly inspirational. The MoMA in NYC is always a joy to visit, as is the Guggenheim Museum. In LA, I love to visit LACMA; [in] Vienna, The Kunsthistorisches Museum; in Miami, the Wolfson and Bass Museums; the Palais de Tokyo and the Musée de la Mode et du Textile in Paris, and of course, at home in the UK, the V&A is a spiritual and visual sanctuary for me.
Where have you traveled for work in the past month?
I was recently at Salone del Mobile in Milan for the launch of our new Atelier Swarovski Home décor line. Following that, I traveled to Seoul for the Condé Nast International Luxury Conference where we also held an exhibition exploring Swarovski’s history of creative partnerships, alongside new collaborations with emerging Korean design talents. The following week I was at our Swiss headquarters, followed by a Design Forum in Wattens, Austria the week after. As I write, I am en route to Copenhagen for the Sustainability Forum.
Is there anywhere you still dream of visiting for work?
The Swarovski Waterschool was founded in 2000 and since then we have educated over 257,000 children in Austria, China, India, Brazil and Uganda about water use, conservation and healthcare. I have been to a few of the locations, but I would love to visit them all, especially as we continue to expand.
Book, magazine or e-reader? And what title do you have in your bag?
If I had to choose, I would say magazine. I’m a big fan of the Harvard Business Review.
If you could only take one item of technology with you on a work trip, what would it be?
My iPhone.
I am based in London, but we have offices around the world, including Paris, Milan, New York, Dubai and Los Angeles. We have a very full calendar of creative collaborations and other projects so I spend a lot of my time traveling to our different locations, including to our executive board meetings at our headquarters in Zurich and Wattens, Austria.
What is the very first thing you do when you arrive at your destination?
I normally unpack, head to the gym, shower and then debrief with my team ahead of my day.
Which essentials are you most likely to take with you?
An eye mask, earplugs, a ‘Kashwére’ blanket and lavender oil to ensure sound sleep, my gym clothes to get the oxygen flowing and make jet leg easier, oils and face masks to stay hydrated on the plane, and of course, photos of my children.
Which items are you most likely to pick up on your travels?
I tend to pick up gifts for my kids; normally books, pens or other educational toys. I also love to source local make-up brands for myself, and the kiddy version for my daughters.
Which cultural destinations do you love visiting on your travels?
I always love visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The ‘Manus x Machina’ exhibition featured some amazing techniques and processes from our creative collaborations with Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen and Iris Van Herpen. That relationship between creativity and technology is truly inspirational. The MoMA in NYC is always a joy to visit, as is the Guggenheim Museum. In LA, I love to visit LACMA; [in] Vienna, The Kunsthistorisches Museum; in Miami, the Wolfson and Bass Museums; the Palais de Tokyo and the Musée de la Mode et du Textile in Paris, and of course, at home in the UK, the V&A is a spiritual and visual sanctuary for me.
Where have you traveled for work in the past month?
I was recently at Salone del Mobile in Milan for the launch of our new Atelier Swarovski Home décor line. Following that, I traveled to Seoul for the Condé Nast International Luxury Conference where we also held an exhibition exploring Swarovski’s history of creative partnerships, alongside new collaborations with emerging Korean design talents. The following week I was at our Swiss headquarters, followed by a Design Forum in Wattens, Austria the week after. As I write, I am en route to Copenhagen for the Sustainability Forum.
Is there anywhere you still dream of visiting for work?
The Swarovski Waterschool was founded in 2000 and since then we have educated over 257,000 children in Austria, China, India, Brazil and Uganda about water use, conservation and healthcare. I have been to a few of the locations, but I would love to visit them all, especially as we continue to expand.
Book, magazine or e-reader? And what title do you have in your bag?
If I had to choose, I would say magazine. I’m a big fan of the Harvard Business Review.
If you could only take one item of technology with you on a work trip, what would it be?
My iPhone.
Head of Corporate Communications and Design Services swarovskigroup.com
Learn more about Swarovski at swarovski.com
