Chamilia Co-Founder, Killian Rieder will attend this year's Sydney Fair, August 28-30
Chamilia joins Swarovski for new collection
Posted August 09, 2011 | By Aaron Weinman
Chamilia and Swarovski have formed a global venture to create a co-branded line of jewellery combining Swarovski’s crystal beads with Chamilia’s jewellery.
The news comes after Chamilia strengthened its foothold in Australia and announced that Swarovski has acquired a minority stake in the American bead brand.
Chamilia has had an on-going relationship with Swarovski for almost eight years because of its use of Swarovski crystals in its jewellery designs. Chamilia chief development officer Michael Flaherty told Jeweller that the two companies were equally “committed to being the innovators in the personalised jewellery market” and this was the driving force behind Swarovski’s investment in Chamilia.
Since the deal was struck, two of Swarovski’s global consumer goods directors have taken up positions on Chamilia’s board.
Flaherty was in Australia in June when the company announced that it would begin distributing its product in Australia and New Zealand via a wholly owned subsidiary. Artic Wolf previously distributed Chamila jewellery locally.
At the time Flaherty explained that Chamilia was pushing the growth of bead jewellery in Australia. “We’re really excited about the Australian market, we’ve made the decision to open our own office and begin working with retailers directly,” Flaherty said.
Perhaps, as an added indication that Australia will be a major focus for the company, Chamilia co-founder and chief design officer, Killian Rieder, along with the company chief executive officer, Michael Paxton are both due to arrive in Australia for the upcoming Sydney Fair.
Rieder graduated from the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology and then worked as a designer with Ralph Lauren Polo and Tommy Hilfiger. She founded Chamilia in 2002 on the premise that women want to express themselves, their passions, interest and style in a meaningful way.
Paxton joined Chamilia in November 2009 and brings over 30 years of experience in leading and growing consumer product companies. Most recently he served as Chairman and CEO of Transport America, and has held the positions of president and CEO at Häagen-Dazs Company, Sunbeam Health and Safety Company as well as a number of well-known US companies.
According to Flaherty, Chamila has averaged 70 per cent growth annually for the past five years, and is aiming to become “a truly global brand”.
“With the team and 200-plus existing retailers that we’re inheriting [in Australia], and with the co-operation of Swarovski, we really think that the brand is going to grow quite quickly here,” he said.
In addition to previewing the new Swarovski Collection at the Sydney Fair, Chamilia will also launch the Siena and Sojourn Collections in the Australian market.
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Chamilia establishes Australian subsidiary