Swatch has been collaborating with artists and designers long before it became the norm, and the brand is always looking for emerging talent and visionaries set to define tomorrow. Those it believes the world needs to start watching today. This September, the brand again ventures into high fashion with one of London’s most exciting designers, Supriya Lele. This rising star shares a love for color and creativity with the brand and injects her signature aesthetic into the Swatch SKIN CLASSIC line – arguably the thinnest watch in the world.
Sensual yet playful are the moods Supriya Lele’s eponymous label exudes. The designer scooped the LVMH Prize Fund in 2019, and her brand reflects her Indian and British heritage, with a twist on minimalism. She’s been making waves throughout the industry thanks to her ability to create beautiful, directional pieces that blur the lines between the two cultures. Think sheer fabrics, sari-inspired draping, and bright interpretations of the traditional Madras check. The collaboration with Swatch sees the designer enter a new territory and fan base.
“I looked to my signature minimalist silhouettes, traditional saris distressed to transparent overlays, dyed squid-ink black, peacock blue, medallion yellow and the Madras check for inspiration. The Swatch SKIN CLASSIC provided the perfect canvas and is worn almost like a second skin – the light, minimalist look and feel has many synergies with my creative vision”, says Supriya Lele.
The Swatch X Supriya Lele SKIN CLASSIC watches continue the brand’s responsible action with the case made from bio-sourced plastic. Lele’s ingenious layering on the runway is so light that her designs almost become a second skin for the women who wear them – just like the Swatch SKIN CLASSIC watch. The collaboration captures the essence of Lele’s style hallmarks thanks to different printing methods on the straps, and for the first time for SKIN, the glass, giving it the depth and transparency effect the designer intended. Three watches feature the signature Madras check pattern, while two others have numbers on the dial written in Hindi as a nod to the designer’s heritage.
