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Swarovspheres, Nina Srdanovic, BA Jewellery Design
Swarovspheres, Nina Srdanovic, BA Jewellery Design
Swarovspheres, Nina Srdanovic, BA Jewellery Design

Swarovski Conscious Design Hub

Design as a driving force for sustainable development

The Swarovski Conscious Design Hub is the product of the brand's inaugural Conscious Design programme delivered in collaboration with Jewellery, Textiles and Materials programme at Central Saint Martins. It is intended to be a lasting, free resource for designers from across a range of disciplines and to champion the transformational power of education and collaboration.

Documenting the creative outcomes of the partnership, the Hub serves as an online platform which offers insight into sustainable design through case studies, lectures and other resources.

We are delighted to expand this longstanding partnership with Swarovski and intend to create a public platform of investigation with the aim of holistically discussing and disseminating responsible design approaches.

— Anne Marr Programme Leader Jewellery, Textiles and Materials

Swarovski x Central Saint Martins - Conscious Design

What is conscious design?

Conscious design means adopting principles that directly respond to issues relating to social and environmental sustainability. It means inspiring future generations of talented creatives and business leaders to transform those principles into practice.

Swarovski works with established and emerging designers and academic institutions to catalyse change, challenging them to reconsider waste as a resource whilst raising awareness on the importance of sustainability. Through their reignited crustal program the company donates unused crystals to schools and designers across the world allowing them another chance to be adored, not letting a precious resource go to waste.

For many years Swarovski has donated reignited crystals to Central Saint Martins for use in student projects to support the next generation of creatives and designers in engaging in sustainable practice. Having previously partnered with BA Jewellery, in 2019 Swarovski extended its partnership to include the entire Jewellery, Textiles and Materials Programme at Central Saint Martins.

Reigniting crystals

In 2022 Swarovski invited BA Jewellery students to collaborate on a project that explored the creative potential of their reignited crystal to communicate new ideas, make statements and explore opportunities. Using the Swarovski Sustainability Report as a focus, students were challenged to design statement jewellery inspired by social and environmental challenges.

Five winners were selected who excelled in the categories of: best innovation, best statement, best concept, best design and overall winner.

Best innovation

Saravich Sungtrakankul created a bracelet influenced by traditional Japanese packaging. He explored solutions around packaging waste, a prominent issue in the jewellery industry, and used wood off-cuts, silk cord, copper and Swarovski reignited crystals to design a piece of statement jewellery that has both a natural packaging function and, once unrolled, becomes a bracelet.

Best statement

Imane Boutgueray's creation puts a spotlight on lung disease affecting mining workers through dust inhalation in the wider jewellery supply chain (a challenge that exists beyond Swarovski's production of man-made crystals). The piece resembles a large pair of lungs, one side representing a healthy lung and the other, created using 50 jet black crystals, representing a diseased lung.

Best concept

Zoe Zhang's creation is a nod to the blurred lines and precarious balancing of freedom of speech. Made of recycled silver and Swarovski reignited crystals, her ring depicts a bird carefully balancing on its beak. Zoe calls it an obedient bird - "if it is your jewellery, it remains in its beauty. Allow it to fall, if it is your liberation'.

Best design

Hana Mulaku's research was based on the ocean and how important reefs help heal the sea. Her work is a celebration of the oyster's function in the eco-0system and its beauty. Hana created earrings made of oyster shell waste taken from restaurants; the jewellery item is modular and can be worn as a whole piece of only the stud, allowing choice and encouraging sustainability.

Best overall

Nina Srdanovic was inspired by the key themes in Swarovski's Sustainability Report of 'supply chain', 'closed production loop' and 'circular models'. Referencing these terms, Nina used a chainmail structure made from ring loops which held together circular clay balls embedded in Swarovski reignited crystals. The colours of the balls are of the 5 UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals which Swarovski are contributing to.

  • Nina-Srdanovic,-Swarovspheres,-close-up-necklace.jpg
    Swarovspheres, Nina Srdanovic, BA Jewellery Design
  • Imane-Boutgueray-necklace-close-up.jpg
    Imane Boutgueray, BA Jewellery Design
  • 220617_UAL_Swarovski_0010.jpg
    The Frontier of Piece, Zoe Zhang BA Jewellery
  • 220617_UAL_Swarovski_0499.jpg
    Hana Mulaku, BA Jewellery Design
  • Saravich-Sungtrakenkul,-The-Joy-of-Unpacking,-bracelet.jpg
    Saravich Sungtrakenkul, BA Jewellery Design
  • Imane-Boutgueray,-The-Aftermath,-necklace.jpg
    Imane Boutgueray, BA Jewellery Design
  • Hana-Mulaku,-Hope-Spot,-close-up-earring.jpg
    Hana Mulaku, BA Jewellery Design
  • Saravich-Sungtrakenkul,-The-Joy-of-Unpacking-bracelet-worn.jpg
    Saravich Sungtrakenkul, BA Jewellery Design
  • 220617_UAL_Swarovski_0004.jpg
    Nina Srdanovic, BA Jewellery Design
  • 220617_UAL_Swarovski_0021.jpg
    The Frontier of Piece, Zoe Zhang BA Jewellery

The conscious design toolkit

Find out more about conscious design and how you can use it.

Zoe Chutong Huang

BA Jewellery student Chutong discusses her project with artist and poet Wilson Oryema

Katie-May Boyd

MA Material Futures graduate Katie-May Boyd discusses her 'Foreign Garbage' project

Wilson Oryema

Artist and poet Wilson Oryema explains the importance of conscious design

Zoë Daley

BA Textiles student Zoë tells us about her project and approach to conscious design

Yasmin Everley

BA Jewellery student Yasmin talks about her project and approaches to conscious design

Conscious design panel discussion

Panel discussion with artist and poet Wilson Oryema, mining activist Dr Greg Valerio, Global VP for Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility at Swarovski Dax Lovegrove and MA Material Futures graduate Katie-May Boyd

  • Image from Swarovski's Water School
    Image: swarovskiwaterschool.com
    Swarovski Water School  

    Discover the way Swarovski supports the provision of clean water and water education to schools

  • Colourless Swarovski crystal presenting as blue through light refraction
    Photo: Bruce Basudde
    Conscious design approaches

    Discover how other students approached their work through conscious design

Further resources

Reading materials

Lectures

A series of lectures were delivered to our students by key academics and designers - you can view these below:

  • Caitlin Hinshelwood, Joint Course Leader BA Textile Design
  • Giles Last, Course Leader BA Jewellery Design
  • Kieren Jones, Course Leader, MA Material Futures
  • Katie-May Boyd (MA Material Futures graduate, Central Saint Martins)
  • Panel Discussion
    Dax Lovegrove (Global Vice President Corporate Sustainability & Social Responsibility, Swarovski)
    Wilson Oryema (artist and poet)
    Dr Greg Vallerio MBE (agrarian, artisan and mining activist)
    Katie-May Boyd (MA Material Futures graduate)

Using conscious design

  • Print from Sissell Gustavsen's Precious Fish project
    Precious Fish, Sissel Gustavsen (BA Textiles) Photo: Sissel Gustavsen
    Precious Fish

    BA Textiles: Print winner Sissel Gustavsen - textile prints inspired by declining marine life populations

  • Image of the Solar Forge from the back
    Solar Forge, Sean Ross (MA Material Futures) Photo: Bruce Basudde
    Solar Forge

    MA Material Futures winner, Sean T. Ross - harnessing the power of the sun through crystals

  • Imogen Burch's rings
    Creating Clarity, Imogen Burch (BA Jewellery) Photo: Mael Henaff
    Creating Clarity

    BA Jewellery winner, Imogen Burch - engraved crystals to be kept for a lifetime

  • Close up of a sample of Hannah Frances Livesey's work
    This Little Light of Mine, Hannah Livesey (BA Textiles) Photo: Hannah Livesey
    This Little Light of Mine

    BA Textiles: Weave winner, Hannah Livesey - naturally-dyed fabrics that enhance the natural beauty of light

  • Close up image of one of Ferenc Zepko's textile samples
    Future Brown, Ferenc Zepko (BA Textiles) Photo: Ferenc Zepko
    Future Brown

    BA Textiles: Knit runner up, Ferenc Zepko - democratising luxury for slow fashion

  • Close up of one of Keiu Vu's textile samples
    You Are Not Alone, Kieu Vu (BA Textiles) Photo: Bruce Basudde
    You Are Not Alone

    BA Textiles: Weave runner up, Kieu Vu - fabrics that let cancer sufferers know they are not alone

  • Close up image of Millicent Sanders' Construction Rebellion knit
    Construction Rebellion, Millicent Sanders (BA Textiles) Photo: Millicent Sanders
    Construction Rebellion

    BA Textiles: Knit winner, Millicent Sanders - weaving high visibility jackets into eye-catching fabrics

  • A close up of Riina Oun's pizoelectricity-powered pavement
    Piezoelectric Pavement, Riina Jun (MA Material Futures) Photo: Bruce Basudde
    Piezoelectric Pavement

    MA Material Futures runner up, Rina Oun - light-up paving slabs powered by footsteps

  • Tablewear created by Christy Shum inspired by Chinese and Western food culture
    A bag design created by Christy Shum for her Cultural Cuisines project (BA Textiles) Photo: Christy Shum
    Cultural Cuisines

    BA Textiles: Print runner up, Christy Shum - reusable bags that reflect the importance of food in cultural heritage

  • A model wearing Kirsten Schultze's Evergreen necklace
    Evergreen, Kirsten Schultze (BA Jewellery). Photo: Elina Nasimova
    Evergreen

    BA Jewellery runner up - Kirsten Schultze - a necklace inspired by the enduring nature of the evergreen tree