Sparkle power on the ramp

Swarovski, the $ 2.2 billion Austrian crystal component maker, is all set to unleash Xilion, its next-generation crystals at the Lakme India Fashion Week (LIFW) to be held in Delhi this month. Xilion was launched globally at the Mod A 'Mont at Milan in February this year.

The product, with its 14 facets or edges (earlier crystals had 8), generates 25% more sparkle. The company's country manager Sanjay Sharma hopes that Xilion will be the new generic name for crystals in the country in the future.

The Swarovski brand ambassador J Vallaya as well as other designer such as Rohit Bal, Rocky S, Malini Ramani, Manish Arora and Suneet Varma will showcase Xilion-embedded dresses on the ramp at the LIFW 2004.

"The Xilion crystal will be sold to fabric manufacturers and retailers through our dealers across the country," says Sharma.

The garment brands that use the crystals on its products will have to carry a label "" a kind of seal of approval from Swarovski which will say: 'Crystallized with Swarovski'. "It will establish the tie-up between Swarovski and the clothing brand," says Sharma.

With the launch of Xilion, Swarovski also wants to bust the myth that crystals are expensive. A single Xilion crystal costs one rupee, and to do-up zardozi sarees or traditional menswear (the fastest growing segment for Swarovski in India), it could cost between Rs 2,000 and Rs 5,000.

Apart from the garment component business foray, Xilion will soon be seen in the lighting, chandelier and door knob applications where Swarovski already has a presence.