KirstyBertarelli
Kirsty Bertarelli has collaborated with Alinghi co-sponsors, North Sails clothing and Audemars Piguet, to create a special clothing range and limited edition jewellery collection to show her support for the team during the America’s Cup Match. In an interview she describes the range and explains the concept and her inspiration. What made you launch a KB clothing and jewellery range?I was interested in the Alinghi clothing collection. I had a general interest and saw that I could add a younger, trendier style and maybe a more feminine range. That’s how the KB range started. Then Alinghi creative manager, Emsal Celik, helped me by designing the KB logo and before we knew it, we were off! What was your concept behind the clothing and the jewellery?For the clothing I wanted to incorporate the wonderful arrow design that Oscar Ribes designed for the race yachts into the clothes to create a younger style and a more feminine look. The jewellery began as an idea for a present, just something as innocent as that. After the excitement and elation of winning in 2003 I wanted a reminder for the families of the Alinghi experience in Auckland: the ringing of the bells and the waving of the flags and the success of the team. So I designed all the charms to represent these memories and incorporated them into a necklace and a bracelet. Audemars Piguet were so enamoured by the idea that they said ‘yes’. What has been your motivation and inspiration for both the clothing and the jewellery?The motivation has been the success and experience of Alinghi. I wanted to be part of that experience and to support it in a creative way. I was inspired by the victory of Alinghi, the excitement that was felt after the Cup and the strength of the team. It shows that your dream can come true if you work at every aspect of it. What is your message to Alinghi fans?To show their support as they did in Auckland, to be behind the team. It’s going to be quite challenging, I think. Emirates Team New Zealand seems to be very strong, so we all have to keep our fingers crossed and show our support. How does you range represent Alinghi values?I wanted to parallel the excellence of Alinghi with the clothes. I chose the fabrics and added a new technical style to the North Sails range. With the jewellery, Audemar Piguets’ attention to detail and their quality of work parallels the Alinghi excellence. What are your favourite items?For the clothes, I am really proud of the silver range because I wanted to bring something more feminine to the collection, but also to keep within the Alinghi colours and style. My favourite charm on the necklace, I would have to say, is the Alinghi boat because it means so much to me. But then if you are not interested in sailing, the Swiss cow is very sweet. Are you planning another collection?Not at this stage. I started with just the race design for the clothes and then moved onto a more evolved tribal design. Then I couldn’t stop. I started designing the bikinis and Capri pants for the ladies – a smarter range, and then a childrens’ range. I didn’t design anything for the men at first but then I thought I should incorporate some designs for them too. Not everything has come out in this collection so there could be more to come. But right now we just want to concentrate on Alinghi winning the America’s Cup and supporting the team through that first hurdle.”www.alinghi.com
