Dalle pianure del Serengeti

La collezione Swarovski Crystal Society (SCS) si ispira ancora una volta alle vaste e diramate pianure della savana africana. Quest’anno, la nostra ispirazione nasce dal più grande mammifero terrestre del nostro pianeta, l’elefante africano. Vediamo come la magnifica matriarca, l’Elefantessa Fayola, ha preso vita nel cristallo.

C’è forse un animale che ispira più ammirazione e rispetto dell'elefante africano? Con la sua altezza da 2,5 a 4 metri e un peso variabile tra 2,3 e 6,4 tonnellate, questo magnifico animale ha un’imponenza tale da persuadere anche leoni a ghepardi ad allontanarsi al suo arrivo. 

Gli elefanti africani sono una specie fulcro che contribuisce in modo essenziale alla struttura del suo ecosistema. Mentre vagano nel territorio africano, i branchi spargono semi e creano sentieri per il passaggio di animali di più piccole dimensioni, che possono così attraversare più agevolmente la boscaglia. Nella stagione secca, usano le loro enormi zanne e la loro abile proboscide per dissotterrare letti fluviali e sollevare alberi e virgulti. Così facendo, creano oasi in miniatura per il branco e altre specie e contribuiscono anche ad areare il suolo, consentendo così ad altri animali delle pianure di passare per il territorio.

In addition to their great size, African elephants are impressive for their human-like behaviour. They are extremely sociable animals and often stay within the same family unit for their whole life. Calves swing their trunks around wildly until their parent teaches them how to use it, and when a herd member dies, the others grieve and often return to the spot of the loved one’s death as if to pay their respects.

These spectacular creatures are  matriarchal, too. Herds are often female-heavy with the biggest and oldest elephant serving as the leader and a surrogate grandmother to many in the herd. Elephant Fayola, meaning “the one who walks with honour”, was modelled after one of these great maternal leaders, ever watchful over her family.

Gentle giants, these elephants are impressive caretakers of the African plains. They preside over their home like a loving parent, ensuring a healthy, prosperous environment for their descendants and the land and animals that surround them. With this year’s Elegance of Africa SCS Annual Edition 2022 Elephant Fayola, this same majestic presence will radiate throughout your home. 
 

The masterful designer Martin Zendron took on the challenge of translating the African elephant’s mighty stature into fine Swarovski crystal. To accomplish this, he captured the essence of the elephant by calling to mind images of this mesmerizing giant ambling through yellow sawgrass, slowly making its way to a watering hole, unaffected by the obstacles ahead. He then realized it in a captivating new Greige coloured crystal.

Watch the video to see Elephant Fayola’s creation

Step 1: Research and sketches
Zendron began his work by immersing himself in the world of the African elephant. He read extensively, watched documentaries, and listened to African music often using three computer screens; one for working and the other two for setting the perfect mood to understand Elephant Fayola. Ultimately, he gleaned the most inspiration from Tanzania and the Serengeti.

While designing Elephant Fayola, Zendron also kept in mind how the elephant would become part of a cohesive collection. He chose to depict the gentle giant mid-stride, symbolizing her continuous stroll across the African savannah, protecting both the landscape and her infants: “Elephants look out for each other, they protect their young and they always keep an eye on them,” he says. “Visually, it was important that the elephants looked like they were wandering.”

Step 2: Rough sculptural modelling
Using digital computer modelling, Zendron then worked on converting his sketches into a three-dimensional representation. He experimented with different leg, trunk, and tusk positions until he settled on a pose that perfectly captured the grand African elephant’s essence.

Step 3: Design model
Once a final design was chosen, Zendron worked with product developers to optimize the angles of the facets to ensure the masterpiece would capture the elephant’s majesty as well as Swarovski crystal’s beauty. When they were satisfied, Elephant Fayola boasted 822 facets and a resin replica was produced. 

Step 4: Handmade prototype
Elegance of Africa SCS Annual Edition 2022 Elephant Fayola finally paraded into life as a hand-cut and polished prototype. Although the colour Greige had never been used for such a large figurine, Zendron chose it because he felt it was the closest colour to the elephant’s iconic skin. The exterior was further enhanced with Marron and Satin effects to enhance every angle of its silhouette and the spine was steamed to give the illusion of sand across the animal’s back, which it uses to protect itself from the sun.

步驟 5：生產水晶組件
在水晶原型樣板已趨完美後，生產工序便開始。設計師需要利用精準的工具，切割這偉大動物模型的各個組成元件。完美勾畫出大象具代表性的背部曲線，過程必需一絲不苟。

步驟 6：黏合和組裝
每個組件都以人手一絲不苟地黏合在一起，接著經過最後潤飾，讓它活靈大象法約拉活現。 

步驟 7：品質管控
每件Swarovski 水晶作品都會經過團隊專家的仔細檢查，確保所有顏色色澤和每一個切割面都完美無瑕、光彩四射。通過最後檢查後，大象法約拉就準備好開展一段新旅程，把她的王者氣派和萬分暖意帶進我們的家中。