Bowie in an elevator, BenCab’s geishas — stories by Swatch’s Carlo Giordanetti

MANILA, Philippines - This may sound like an errant episode of E! News. One time, Swatch International creative director Carlo Giordanetti was in an elevator with “David” who was visiting “Philip” in his recording studio in New York, the same Carlo who had numerous conversations with “Spike” and “Vivienne.” In the future, he would hang out with a Lebanese-British guy named “Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr.” — a rainbow crooner who moves in cartoon motion. 

When Giordanetti mentions names such as David, Philip, Spike and Vivian, the Swatch man is referring to David Bowie, Philip Glass, Spike Lee and Vivienne Westwood. And that Mr. Penniman fellow? He’s Mika. 

So what did Carlo Giordanetti and Vivienne Westwood talk about?

“Well, you don’t talk about things with Vivienne,” shares Giordanetti. “She talks and you listen (laughs). You don’t do a lot of talking. She is all punk rock. And my goodness! She’s a strong lady, very interesting. Swatch did two collections with Vivienne. She obviously enjoyed what we were doing together.”

In ’92, Westwood — co-conspirators with Malcolm McLaren and the Sex Pistols in bringing punk fashion to the fore — designed a watch based on the cherubic paintings that adorn her bustiers: the Putti Cherub Pop Swatch. A year later, she came up with the beautiful Orb.  

Swatch and pop culture, they are like Sid Vicious and studded leather. The brand has collaborated with the likes of Midge Ure of Ultravox and Phil Collins. Well, before the crimes of Sussudio and all, Collins was an adventurous drummer for mind-bending progressive rock band Genesis fronted by one fox-masked, flower-costumed, Slipperman-channeling Peter Gabriel who also collaborated with the Swiss watch brand.

And then there is Mika.

“Mika is fantastic,” says Giordanetti. “He is the incarnation of the spirit of Swatch because he has the energy, he loves color, he is extremely stylish — everything is custom-made. I love to be around him. He has this spontaneous energy. We are doing a lot of projects together.”

American composer Philip Glass can be considered the antithesis of Mika. Carlo explains, “Philip is more intellectual, but it was an amazing collaboration just the same.”

Remember those vintage Musical Swatch Watches that played tinny alarm clock melodies composed by famous musicians? The brand ingeniously got Glass to come up with his own wake-up tune (along with French composer Jean Michel Jarre and Dutch saxophonist Candy Dulfer). There was a time the Swatch Design Studio was on the same floor as Glass’ recording studio in a New York building. So, Carlo running into David Bowie in the elevator, Carlo listening to Philip Glass play minimalist, classicist concertos as the tapes spun — just another day in the life of a Swatch-man who has “an Italian heart and a Swiss mind.”

Carlo Giordanetti was born in Torino, Italy, but grew up in Milan. “Torino is very classic, elegant and low-profile,” he explains. “Milan is the city of fashion and industry. There I developed my artistic side. I cook, listen to opera (Don Carlos by Verdi is his favorite, his namesake), and collect royal souvenirs — Queen Elizabeth coronation and jubilee art pieces, porcelain and royal plates. I go hunting for those items. Home now is Zurich.”

He first joined Swatch in 1987, left briefly, worked in high-level positions in other companies, and rejoined Swatch Ltd. in 2012 as creative director. (The very first Swatch he owned was The Jellyfish, which his dad bought him.)

“When I describe my role in Swatch to other people, I try to make it short,” he explains. “I tell them I take care of the ‘visible’ aspects of the brand — such as the product, which is the main part and the most passionate thing I do. It’s the feeling of being responsible for how the brand presents itself to the world.”

And the highlights of this presentation are legion. 

At the Olympic games in Atlanta in ’96, Carlo was in charge of the Swatch Pavilion. There was also the celebration for the sale of 100 million Swatches in the Swiss village of Zermatt with Jean Michel Jarre providing the soundtrack. “A huge, three-day happening,” describes Carlo. He was also there for the opening of Swatch’s Place Vendôme boutique in Paris. It’s the first time that a non-traditional jewelry brand has set up shop in that chic address. Last year when Swatch went to Baselworld for the first time (as the world was [well, is] constantly becoming more digital, interactive and socially connected), the brand rolled out Sistem51, a mechanical wonder. Carlo was in Shanghai last week for a celebration at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, another artful initiative. For this one, he’s in Manila for the opening of the Swatch & Swatch Center along Arnaiz Ave. in Makati.

“The launch was fantastic,” he shares. “The dynamism of young Filipinos, the cool music, and then all those beauties! When I saw the building, I went, ‘Wow!’ It’s very industrial; it’s very today; it represents very well the spirit of Swatch. It’s very flexible. You can do a lot of things in there — from music to fashion to art. You can experience on every floor something different and amazing.”

It was also the launch of the BenCab Swatch Sabel. National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera is the first Filipino artist to design a Swatch watch slated for worldwide release. 

“I was impressed by BenCab not just as an artist, but as a person as well,” says Carlo. “He told me the story of Sabel! And then we talked about his ‘Geisha’ series. I admire artworks that come from old tradition, which is then transformed into something contemporary. We also spoke about the power of colors. Orange, I believe, carries great energy.”  

A woman who understands the sorcery of colors is Swatch Philippines president Virgie Ramos.

Carlo calls her the star of the Swatch firmament. The Swatch headquarters designed Swatch Philippines’ 25th anniversary logo featuring a big red heart because “that is so Virginia.” He adds that she has the passion, the heart that knows what the brand is all about.

“What’s not to love about Virgie Ramos?,” he says. “We met 24 years ago when Swatch started in the Philippines. It’s fantastic that she has that kind of energy and belief in the brand, and she is a real Swatch ambassador. During a recent meeting in Switzerland, there were 300 people from the world of Swatch, the chairman Nick Hayek Jr. singled her out as she entered. He publicly honored her. She represents the spirit of the brand in an incredible way.” 

Hanging out with Virgie Ramos and talking art with BenCab, Carlo Giordanetti will bring another great memory of the Swatch launch back to cold and somber Zurich.

“The fireworks!” he says with a laugh. “You know, creative people are like children. And this is the spirit of Swatch — to remain a little innocent, playful, and with open eyes like a child.”