Design Process

Early Stage Design Process

At Swarovski, early decisions shaped everything. Most projects began with color strategy and component availability, often locked before a single sketch was made.

We worked with a proprietary CAD system linked to an expansive parts library, enabling fast digital prototyping—but developing custom elements was slow and costly. That meant clarity upfront wasn’t optional—it was essential.

Every creative process has a constraint. Ours began with color, parts, and purpose—set early to unlock everything downstream.

Conceptual Design – Met Gala Image Builder

These are real working documents from Swarovski’s 2024 Met Gala initiative. We used color cards to guide concept development—referencing existing styles while setting a new visual direction.

To support the creative push, I reallocated 15% of our legacy product development capacity into design-focused execution, aligning our prototyping teams around the Creative Director’s vision.

This shift unified Product Development and Design into a more agile, collaborative structure—producing prototypes and limited runs that delivered on both narrative and execution.

Mood Boards & Ideation – Signet

At Signet, ideation began with curated online imagery—mood boards built for dialogue, not duplication. Our internal design team assembled these boards and refined them with merchant leads through strategic work sessions.

As Head of Product Development, I participated in every meeting, tracking origin points and ensuring IP compliance with legal. The result was a process rooted in collaboration, accountability, and creative discipline.

Daily stand-ups and afternoon design reviews kept the team sharp—mirroring the pace and professionalism of our external vendor partners and steadily improving our internal creative fluency.

Early Holistic Risk Assessment

At Swarovski, we assessed risk before sketches became samples. Embedding technical thinking early helped us avoid costly revisions and protected timelines downstream.

This example—a highly complex watch project—required close alignment between design and engineering. We built flexibility into the creative calendar from the start, knowing development would take longer.

The result: fewer surprises, smarter planning, and a stronger product.

Example Two: High-Complexity Showcase Piece

This was more than jewelry—it was a manifesto. We intentionally designed this piece to be intricate, multi-layered, and technically demanding—a showcase of what’s possible when every discipline performs at its peak.

It tells a brand story through craftsmanship—a physical narrative of precision, capability, and collaboration.

Savoir-faire in focus:

• Exquisite surface finishing
  
  

• Multi-process stone setting
  
  

• Advanced cutting techniques
  
  

• Precision assembly across complex components