Penelope Cruz On Hollywood, Her Collaboration With Atelier Swarovski And More

Can luxury and sustainability go hand in hand? Penelope Cruz believes they can. And she has been walking the talk with her jewellery collaborations with Atelier Swarovski since 2018. Her latest designs for the brand, the Botanical Jewels collection, will benefit The Nature Conservancy, an environmental organisation that supports global projects that preserve the planet's biodiversity.

“My Botanical Jewels collection,” the Academy Award-winning actress shares, “sparkles with crystals, cubic zirconia and the power of positive impact. I hope it brings people joy to know that their jewellery is helping to preserve our wonderful and unique world.”

Her partnership with Atelier Swarovski isn’t just simply one of celebrity endorsement. The environmental activist shares the values driving the Swarovski brand, which recognises the limits and fragility of the world’s natural resources, and seeks to minimise damage to the environment in all aspects of the business, from the sourcing of raw materials to the day‑to-day operations.

The Hollywood A-lister also spoke to BAZAAR.com on her journey with Atelier Swarovski, her acting career and where she sees herself in five years.

We’ve not been seeing much of you on screen these days. Are you working on other projects?

I used to make four movies per year so I really had no life except being on a set with my characters. For the last few years, I’ve been making one movie per year, or maximum two if they are not very long. I love working and I will always love acting but I’m a mother of two and that’s my absolute priority.

You’ve been a brand ambassador for Atelier Swarovski for a while now. What has it been like?

I am so proud of this collaboration with Atelier Swarovski because they put sustainability at the heart of everything they do, and I really respect that. When I wear my Atelier Swarovski jewelry, it makes me feel good knowing the process behind it it’s totally clean.

The whole process evolved very naturally. I had worn some beautiful Atelier Swarovski pieces at events, but I became inspired when I met with Nadja Swarovski and she spoke in-depth about Atelier Swarovski’s passion for Conscious Luxury and creating beautiful products that are crafted with care and responsibility. Before speaking to Nadja I didn’t realize that it was possible to create stones in a lab. As soon as I became aware of lab-created diamonds I was excited to start designing pieces and using them.

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What does Conscious Luxury mean to you?

I really care about having a positive impact on the planet, in what I do, what I wear and what my family and I consume. It’s important to consider the implications for our environment in everything we do, which is why I love working with Atelier Swarovski.

What is your creative process like when designing the jewellery?

I’m very lucky that Nadja and the team gave me such creative freedom. I wanted to design timeless pieces that I would always choose to wear, and I am proud that we have used created gemstones to craft classic pieces that have a red carpet aesthetic that I really love.

The most personal piece for me is a ring inspired by a piece of jewellery given to me by my grandmother, which I have since lost. The ring inspired by her is crafted from three created rubies surrounded by Swarovski Created Diamonds. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

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How would you describe your own style when it comes to jewellery?

It depends. I get to dress up for premiers or events and that’s where I get to wear bigger pieces from the brand. It’s fun for any woman to be able to dress up like that once in a while. I don’t think there can be rules about that. It’s a very personal thing. 

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? 

I think I will always love acting and hopefully will be able to do it forever but I’ve always wanted to direct. I have directed commercials and a documentary but one day hopefully I will be brave enough to do a film.

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