Gottex Swimsuits Make a Splash in Vivid Diamonds

Tie-ins, deals between two companies where one brings its goods to complement the other in return for exposure, are common place. When both companies are, at least partially, owned by the same guy and promoting each other, then that is an even sweeter deal. So how about swimwear and diamonds?

Gottex, the Israeli swimwear company held a fashion show yesterday (Wednesday) at New York’s Bryant Park. To win attention and increase visibility, models at the show wore some 500 carats of diamonds worth $30 million by Vivid Collection.

Gottex is owned by Africa-Israel, the Israeli conglomerate that had a turnover of over $583 million last year, and in which Lev Leviev holds a controlling stake. Leviev is also involved with Vivid Collection.

At a time that diamonds are trying to make a name of their own, such tie-ins are becoming more common place, and serve as a great way to drum up PR. High attention award ceremonies, are no longer the exclusive events for summoning such attention. Monaco’s Grand Prix race, for example, is the way the high-end diamond houses are choosing to go. 

So, to make sure the attention is not lost, the clincher at the Gottex show were not models Ines Rivero, Ana Claudia, Petra, or Katerina Scola, but the grand finale - a swimsuit set with $18.3 million worth of diamonds, including a pear shaped Golconda diamond.

Talk of making a splash.