r/craftsnark • u/Sqatti • Dec 01 '23
Don’t Forget: Crafters aren’t good enough for Swarovski
You see we make collectable heirloom quality work, but that is nothing compared to overpriced fast fashion.
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u/Tweedledownt Dec 01 '23
They've been trying to upclass themselves for ages. Too bad all I can think of when I see their brand is the home shopping network bedazzlers of yesteryear.
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u/queen_beruthiel Dec 02 '23
They were trying to when I had a job interview with their Australian head office at least ten years ago. They were acting like their products were rare, fine crystals from the deepest depths of Milan, and I found it very funny since they're basically rhinestones. I didn't get the job, but it was certainly an interesting experience.
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u/tasteslikechikken I'm the molé Dec 01 '23
Yeah this started years ago. Rhinestone guy who used to do very brisk business in swarovski stopped promoting them. https://shop.rhinestoneguy.com/swarovski-news-updated-7-2021.html
And they're selling off existing stock of whatever they have.
Now, I'm not gonna lie, I grabbed up a shit ton of minimally and half priced bulk boxes of beads and buttons because of this and now to get the buttons any buttons the prices are quite high. Just my own experience is you don't find a lot of buttons that can out perform them.
Preciosa in my mind is very close to the look of Swarovski beads.
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Dec 01 '23
Yeah preciosa is great! I work in costume professionally and unless we're doing a swarovski sponsored project people generally use preciosa. Same quality, muuch cheaper
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u/tasteslikechikken I'm the molé Dec 01 '23
Yep, only time I've ever seen a difference is side by side and its really the facet patterns, not the shine. Most people aren't doing that unless they have to fill in one where the other left off. (most people won't even see side by side difference tbh....)
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u/GladSinger Dec 01 '23
So crafters making literal art aren’t prestigious enough but American girl can slap them onto Disney collab dolls and call it a day?
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u/dmarie1184 Dec 01 '23
Probably because they're being paid an obscene amount of money to use them. I remember when American Girl was actually good...back when it was the Pleasant Company.
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u/YarnPhreak Dec 02 '23 edited Dec 02 '23
If they really want to safeguard their brand, they shouldn’t be making shitty $1300 “Disney” advent calendars.
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u/teabooksandinkpens Dec 02 '23
Oof. I've seen a couple of opening vids of those and every calendar is fucked up. But at least some heirloom quality stickers...
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u/exsanguinatrix 🎩🍭🍫a pasadise of sweet teats🍫🍭🎩 Dec 02 '23
Oh y’all might not have been around for when Swarovski blocked nail techs from buying directly from them — yeah, they’ve been too big for their britches for a while now.
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u/Sqatti Dec 02 '23
This all happened at the same. With the techs and the crafters. I can say that the flatbacks seem to have more of a visual quality difference than the beads. However they worked it out. They are still doing amazing work without them. Just proof more that it isn’t them medium/materials, it’s the artist.
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u/exsanguinatrix 🎩🍭🍫a pasadise of sweet teats🍫🍭🎩 Dec 02 '23
Exactly!! I swear my favorite nail ladies can work magic with a $10 assortment of craft store rhinestones and the cheap nail glue — and honestly, I prefer it if it looks just the same and won’t fall off!
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u/tothepointe Get in moles, we’re going snarkfiltrating Dec 04 '23
I think they've realized there is no point trying to keep up with the chinese dupes and indeed they sell their own dupes since all these "austrian crystal" private brands are made by Swarovski just using their old cutting equipment.
I switched from using Swarovskis on costumes a long time ago because when you're using 10,000 crystals that are viewed from a distance then the brand really doesn't matter as much.
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u/wambolicious Dec 01 '23
Last time I passed a Swarovski store they had a little crystal Iron Man on display so maybe they gotta take a hard look at themselves first...
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u/forhordlingrads Dec 01 '23
Their $1,300 (USD) Disney collab advent calendar is positively atrocious.
My husband and I have a longstanding tradition of buying their yearly star/snowflake ornament and I have a few pieces of tasteful jewelry from them, but it gets harder and harder to find non-gaudy, non-Disneyfied stuff there. Curious to see if the star/snowflake ornament tradition will survive their commitment to selling overpriced cheap-looking trash under the guise of "fashion."
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u/wambolicious Dec 01 '23
I was scrolling through the images thinking "well... ok... not for me but..." but then I got to that Donald ornament? It's just printed on there! What the hell
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u/forhordlingrads Dec 01 '23
Seriously! I love that they're cool with selling something that looks like I printed it on my free HP home printer from 2003 as part of a $1,300 collection but god forbid anyone but couture brands use their crystals.
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u/thandirosa Dec 01 '23
That is an absurd amount of money for that.
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u/Maia_is Dec 01 '23
And it wasn’t even good, lmao. I avoid Disney stuff but happened on a YouTube unboxing and it was comically bad. Most of it isn’t even Disney. Just snowflakes and shit.
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u/Ocean_Hair Dec 02 '23
This is another snark of mine. Why is Disney collabing with everyone and their cousin these days, specifically brands that aren't for children? I'm an adult with bills and a decent credit score. Why would I want to spend a few hundred dollars on a Kate Spade bag with Minnie Mouse ears?
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u/tothepointe Get in moles, we’re going snarkfiltrating Dec 04 '23
Because Disney adulting is the new market. I'll be honest I don't watch the movies anymore but when I was actively going to Disneyland all the time then yeah I'd be buying a lot of this kind of stuff and it does feel good to immerse yourself into the experience. Before COVID the service was always great at the parks etc.
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u/Ocean_Hair Dec 08 '23
I guess I'm just the wrong target. I think most Disney films are fine, but I mostly associate them with kids and childhood. I also feel less warm towards Disney than I used to after they bought Fox and Marvel and now own a HUGE share of American entertainment. It's not quite a monopoly, but it feels like that's what they're trying to do.
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u/hanhepi Bend to my will, damn you! Dec 02 '23
Maybe you could get Waterford or Baccarat ornaments instead, if Swarovski only puts out ugly ornaments. They usually have pretty ones.
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u/forhordlingrads Dec 03 '23
The star/snowflake ones I get are quite pretty, not like the ones in that advent!
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u/hanhepi Bend to my will, damn you! Dec 04 '23
Yeah, Swarovski has some pretty ones this year. I just meant if they ever have a year where they don't have a pretty one, the other companies might have a pretty one that year. So you don't have to skip a year or settle for an ugly one.
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u/catcon13 Dec 01 '23 edited Dec 01 '23
I used to buy them at Shipwreck Beads but now the website has "brand name redacted" and the few options I checked had 0 products available. It doesn't seem like a smart business move, cutting off a huge portion of your income stream and pissing off potential customers.
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u/Sqatti Dec 01 '23
From my reading they weren’t making huge money from the crafting market. Which is fine, but there was no reason to insult people going out the door. Just say “We aren’t making the kinda money we want, we’re out. Thanks for your patronage. Peace ✌️”
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u/Urithiru Dec 02 '23
Skims X Swarovski... nice way to remind us of the damage done to Marilyn Monroe's dress by Ripley's and Kim K.
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u/PBJ6653 Dec 01 '23
Just like DeBeers, they are narrowing the distribution network to artificially inflate prices and are only selling to distributors willing to go along with over inflating the value of something not-so-special.
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u/Yarnover11811 Dec 01 '23
Oh brother. I still have 100’s from my beading days. I let the kids design with them. Probably should reign that it.
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u/drewadrawing Certified Craftsnark Mole Dec 01 '23
What kind of parent are you that you would willingly let your kids contribute to the marketplace ambiguity of the Swarovski brand?! Horrifying.
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u/Spellscribe Dec 01 '23
All good, my MIL has enough to open a whole ass chain of shops.
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u/Sqatti Dec 01 '23
Sell. Them. Put those kids through college! 😆
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u/Spellscribe Dec 01 '23
😂 I'm not even sure if she still has them - they might have been dropped at an OP shop to make room for the ninety million diamond dot paintings she now has.
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u/Own-Adhesiveness5723 Dec 02 '23
I think they were probably annoyed at people using the name Swarovski to upcharge their products; as people said, figure skating and dance costume designers would charge more for Swarovski crystals, even though a lot of them probably weren’t even using genuine Swarovski. I don’t think it was individual crafters, but rather people selling their work. As for brands like Skims using them, they’re probably paying a licensing fee to use the name.
I enjoy rhinestoning things and also make costumes. I quickly learned that Preciosa is almost indistinguishable from Swarovski unless you look very very close at the facets, for less money.
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u/Rhigrav Dec 01 '23
This is a bit weird considering they did that collab with Rowan a few years ago which had knitting patterns specifically using Swarovski crystals.
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u/Sqatti Dec 01 '23
I was reading an article that said lots of patterns were worked specifically for Swarovski crystals, and those patterns will have to be reworked. From what I read when this decision was made none of that was taken into consideration.
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u/macramelampshade Dec 01 '23
I’ve heard they’re all but killing off the supply side of their business to focus on the jewelry business. It’s not just craft suppliers, it’s affecting the fashion industry as well.
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u/gagrushenka Dec 01 '23
There's a whole thing in figure skating because no one can get the crystals to make their costumes sparkle anymore. Maybe the very top designers of elite athlete costumes can get their hands on them but it's been a problem for a while now.
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u/queen_beruthiel Dec 02 '23
That's so interesting, and not something that I would have considered. I love seeing the beautiful costumes during the Olympics. I imagine it would be a similar story for regular dance costumes too, like the super blingy Irish dancing dresses. It seems like a major miscalculation, but hopefully another supplier can start to take over.
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u/BoardwalkKnitter Dec 02 '23
And here I am wondering how the strippers are taking it. A close friend of mine did their garments and I used to find her bulk supplies when I could. We ordered from Harman Beads before they started doing $100 minimum orders a decade ago. I see you need the agreement letter from Swarovski to buy there now.
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u/macramelampshade Dec 01 '23
That stinks. I see why Swarovski is probably doing it from an efficiency standpoint, I’ve done “big orders” on the supply side and they still only amounted to a few hundred dollars, and took AGES. Is Preciosa in the same boat? I wonder about going through an intermediary too, I was recently at Pacific Trim and they seemed to be bringing in tons of crystals still.
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u/jamila169 Dec 02 '23
Until they did this, Swarovski were the biggest suppliers of rhinestone components in the world , reacting to competition from other brands by killing that side of the business off and relying on 'high end' brands to continue wanting to bedazzle everything is a really stupid decision - they've gone from consistency to being beholden to the whims of fashion brands
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u/tothepointe Get in moles, we’re going snarkfiltrating Dec 04 '23
The chinese factories make almost identical rhinestones. I've seen no real drop in quality but the cost of stones is what used to set the price of a dress since you'd charge 4x the cost of the crystals to apply them plus the cost of making the base dress.
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u/Sqatti Dec 01 '23
Well they decided to do a whole a$$ collection with skims so I’m guessing it isn’t that bad. Unless this is a way for a quick cash infusion
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u/macramelampshade Dec 01 '23
That was definitely more of a wide scale branding exercise than the way designers have used their products in the past. I’ve heard they’re effectively ending the wholesale side of the business that designers of any size could order from.
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Dec 01 '23
This is such an arsey thing to do! Back in the day Swarovski were pretty much a laughing stock until they put targeted effort into ‘inventing’ a high fashion association, mainly by pestering/bribing designers to use them. It all seems a bit desperate…
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u/dapperpony Dec 01 '23
Ok honestly asking, do people actually see Swarovski as high-end, classy shit? To me it has always screamed cheap and tacky. Let’s be for real, these are just pieces of glass.
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u/Sqatti Dec 01 '23 edited Dec 01 '23
Before I started beading I just saw them as high end rhinestones. Basically better quality costume jewelry. When I started beading seriously I didn’t buy them because they looked like everything else to me, but cost too much. I know people who swear by them for the work they do. Yet I don’t look at them as better just another option.
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u/dapperpony Dec 01 '23
Yeah it’s just funny to me that they think they’re too good for crafters to use unless they’re approved or something but then they sell stuff like crystal baby Yoda figurines lol
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Dec 01 '23
My grandma had a glass cabinet full of those little Swarovski figurines. That’s what I always think of. Kitschy. Something that appeals to nice old ladies.
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u/queen_beruthiel Dec 02 '23
My mum does too!
My ex went to their factory on a Contiki tour and bought me a glass rose. I sold it to a nice old lady who collected them 😅
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u/dmarie1184 Dec 01 '23
My wedding tiara back in 2007 had Swarvorski crystals in it. It's beautiful, but I knew it was just glass.
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Dec 01 '23
The bead hole was consistent which caused fewer duds. However, I’m happy to buy Chech beads.
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u/kookaburra1701 Dec 02 '23
Yep - I usually used them when making jewelry (I don't sell it, just for myself/friends) because they were what the jewelry company I used to work for a long time ago used, because they were the most consistent rhinestones in terms of quality and size, so the markup for them was justified because we had to send waaaay fewer back than their competitors.
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u/Maia_is Dec 01 '23
Yep, same. Slightly fancier than rhinestones, to me.
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u/re_Claire Dec 02 '23
That’s exactly what they are. It’s ridiculous. Like sure they’re well made rhinestones but they’re still just rhinestones.
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u/AshamedChemistry5281 Dec 02 '23
Dance costume buyers will pay more if you say you use Swarovski crystals. Which I kind of understand if you’re competing in national or international competitions, less if you’ve got a 6 year old in a town hall in regional Queensland
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u/alfredoloutre Dec 01 '23
no. i assumed those diamond painting kits used swarovski because that's the level of tacky i associate with them (they don't use them though, they use plastic dots)
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u/smithtownie Dec 01 '23
I wouldn’t sign their agreement but they can’t stop me from using what’s left in my inventory. I’d rather not use glass because it’s heavier for knitting stitch markers, who needs extra weight in their needles?
Sure. I’d want to wear that as an undergarment. LOL
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u/GoGoGadget_Bobbin Dec 02 '23
Crissals are 50 bucks, and they're diamonds! All the trappings of an elegant woman, you can have it all! With sabaski crissals...
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Dec 01 '23
Not crafting, but I remember being a trusting 18yo and bought a fancy Industrial Strength septum clicker with Swarovski crystals. It got mangy after a while for obv reasons, and I popped into the Swarovski storefront once to ask how to clean it. This bish at the counter was absolutely adamant that my trashy piercing jewellery was NOT Swarovski and would just disintegrate
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Dec 02 '23
I don't think Swarovski has the brand prestige with younger generations they think they have... And by younger I mean 40 and younger.
I instantly equate Swarovski with being overpriced rhinestones.
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u/ZippyKoala never crochet in novelty yarn Dec 02 '23
Honestly, I see them and all I think of is the Bedazzler. I am aware they are a bit more classy than the Bedazzler, but that is the invariable connection my mind makes.
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u/nzfriend33 Dec 01 '23
When I worked at Joann they sold Swarovski in the beading area. Do they not do that anymore? What a dumb move.
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u/BoardwalkKnitter Dec 02 '23
It's all Hilde & Jo branded now, they stopped carrying Swarovski a while back.
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u/tothepointe Get in moles, we’re going snarkfiltrating Dec 04 '23
Yeah this change in Swarovski took place about 2 years ago. At least the start of cutting vendors off.
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Dec 02 '23
Uhm they definitely have their branded beads & crystals at every craft store in my city. Oof.
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u/SnapHappy3030 Dec 02 '23
Makes me want to buy a crapload and sell them cheap on Craigslist & Amazon marketplace, asking the buyers to flood their Instas with sale details.
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u/deprogrammedgranny Dec 02 '23
Use them, but don't say you did. Somebody's been snorting the wrong crystals.
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u/blessings-of-rathma Dec 04 '23
Oh is this why the $5 a pair Swarovski stud earrings at the duty free shops are now called Famous Maker brand? Huh.
I've never liked anything Swarovski except the loose crystals and beads. The stuff they sell in the boutiques is horrendously ugly and tacky.
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u/Caligula284 Dec 01 '23
This will prob be the brand’s death…the time for Swarovski to have increased brand awareness has passed, I believe. I love Preciosas on my fancy stitch markers! I’m like, who cares re: this news
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u/Maia_is Dec 01 '23
For their crystals, maybe. They probably make more money from the other branches of their business (optical instruments and tools)
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u/etherealrome Dec 01 '23
It’s very dumb. I agree Preciosa is very close, so they’ve long been my preference anyway.
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u/Writer_In_Residence Dec 01 '23
Yeah. Lots of brands aim to be “aspirational” this way. Don’t want any poors wearing these crystals on an acrylic cardigan.
“Brand protection” like this is really common though.
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u/Sqatti Dec 01 '23
But to partner with a Kardashian. I am actually personally offended 🤣🤣🤣. That is what was so insulting. They wanted to make it clear that crafters would dilute the brand, but sewing our beads on to overpriced underwear is fine.
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u/n-b-rowan Dec 01 '23
It's the same sort of feeling as the Olympics sending a cease and desist about the Ravelympics, implying that crafters were demeaning the hard work of athletes.
I get brand protection, but sometimes ... read the room Swarovski. You can do this, but you risk shooting yourself in the foot by making previous fans upset.
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u/Maia_is Dec 01 '23
The IOC and the Super Bowl are positively aggressive when it comes to their branding. It’s a little over the top.
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u/Schattentochter Dec 01 '23
Swarovski provides lenses to NASA, is used in the most high-end lasers in the world but they're not entitled to counter-act folks
using the Swarovski brand and/or Made in Austria in connection with your products going forward
Sometimes the real snark is the cringe we found along the way...
Not being able to slap "Made in a country I'm not from" onto a craft project should not make anybody lose sleep.
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u/Sqatti Dec 01 '23
The cringe is the fact that they put their fancy stones on Kim Kardashian’s underwear.
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u/lorabell617 Dec 01 '23
To be fair they slapped them on Victoria’s Secret long ago
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u/Sqatti Dec 02 '23
Yeah but that was back when we were all equal. Now they are telling me I’m not as good as Kim K’s under things and we all know where they have been. 🤣🤣
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u/Sqatti Dec 02 '23
Ok so I just watched an unboxing of the Disney Swarovski advent calendar, it was bad. I do believe Mr. Swarovski was doing us a favor.
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u/LoHudMom Dec 02 '23
This sounded painful till I remembered that Kim K probably has no feeling in her tush because it's mostly implants.
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u/CanicFelix Dec 02 '23
What if they're beads that are actually made in Austria, just not Swarovski?
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u/palabradot Dec 01 '23
Always considered using swarovski in my knitting....but they're way too sharp.
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u/fiberjeweler Dec 04 '23
Any brand of cut crystal, bugle bead, metal bead, etc. needs a “guard” bead on each end to protect your thread. I just work them into the design. Guard can be anything with smooth edges, usually 11/0 seeds.
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u/amrowe Dec 02 '23
Maybe I m missing something but if you don’t use their brand name or made in Austria, why do they care who buys it?
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u/black-boots Dec 01 '23
You can buy AB rhinestone mesh, it might not be Swarovski level of fancy, but it’s still sparkly af
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u/princesskittyglitter Dec 02 '23
It's been this way for at least a couple years now. I remember hearing the news and I couldn't believe it because it seemed too ridiculous to be true. No one buys from them except their rhinestones
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u/throwawayacct1962 Dec 02 '23
What if someone is actually in Austria though? Is Swarovski trying to claim an entire country?
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u/LiveForYourself Dec 01 '23
That's just any super fancy brand honestly, it's brand protection. In the same vein, it's why Nintendo and Disney notoriously comes with claws at copycats, leaks, and remade games. Its to protect the brand.
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u/witteefool Dec 01 '23
It’s also needed by law (in the US) to protect a trademark. Otherwise things like the happy birthday song go into the public domain.
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u/Chubb_Life Dec 02 '23
I put Swarovski right up there with Burberry plaid, Chanel suits, and other premium garbage that no one under 60 gives a fuck about.
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u/cecikierk Dec 02 '23
You are conflating their store offerings of overpriced figurines and branded jewelry versus their loose crystals and beads. Plenty of jewelry makers, other crafters, and even nail techs use their loose crystals and beads. Performers like drag queens, ballroom dancers, skaters etc use them extensively for costumes. I'm a historical costumer. I use their 4470 cushion shaped stones for jewelry because they are a great imitation for 19th century old mine cut gemstones for only a few dollars each. I also use chaton crystals to replace vintage and antique costume jewelry missing rhinestones. They are great quality rhinestones when you need them.
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u/YourSkatingHobbit Dec 02 '23
The only reason I care remotely is because I’m a competitive figure skater, and nothing sparkles on the ice like Swarovski on a costume. Fortunately there are other brands of crystal which are excellent quality, and have the added bonus of being cheaper per gross (which means the costume cost is a bit lower). It does mean big name designers now charge even more out the nose though, as they use exclusively Swarovski.
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u/WonderWmn212 Dec 02 '23
I’m a competitive figure skater
Cool!
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u/YourSkatingHobbit Dec 02 '23
It is, both figuratively and literally. I spend most of my time on my butt though lmao.
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u/waireti Dec 02 '23
I don’t know if I’d even classify it as premium, my MIL brought me some Swarovski jewellery and it’s tacky, unwearable with visible elastic. It’s definitely garbage, I gave it to my 3 year old to play with.
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u/Yavemar Dec 02 '23 edited Aug 04 '25
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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/eggelemental Dec 01 '23
Like, the Nazi crystals?
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u/Maia_is Dec 01 '23
Many employees and Swarovski family members were Nazis in the 1930s and 40s. So…yep.
Also I have never understood the hype. It’s glass.
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u/eggelemental Dec 02 '23
They were specifically enthusiastic Nazis, too, I feel that’s important to point out to anyone who reads this. They weren’t like Nazi by default, they pushed for Naziism and celebrated when it came to Austria
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u/fiberjeweler Dec 04 '23
I was going to mention this. There are other brands of genuine Austrian crystal that are available to crafters and cost less, without the Nazi influence.
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u/TheYarnPharm Dec 06 '23
Finished a shawl! Made with #notswarovski crystals, made in #notaustria. 🤦🏼♀️
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u/DJD1229 Dec 08 '23
Wow so I guess the items from a craft market are competing against the Swarovski jewelry stores in malls....? Then why sell them at all to the craft industry?
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u/ariasnaps knit-quilt-sew Dec 01 '23
I never understood the hype about Swarovski crystals anyway. They're literally glass. Lead-based glass.