By Rayan Innue
The founder of Zalemark, Steven Zale may live on the edge, but his company certainly occupies a large space in the jewellery world. With a successful stable of brands, this visionary entrepreneur has definitely made his “mark” with Zalemark.
|
| “If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space.” - Steven Zale |
“The name was inspired by my father,” he explains. “Before he passed away, he told me ‘whatever you do, leave a mark of quality.’ And, this has been my mantra ever since.”
The mark of quality is apparent in all of Zalemark’s creations. But they go beyond being well crafted with quality materials. With a concern for fair working practices and environmental protection, the company uses “clean” gold, Fair Trade gems, and confl ictfree diamonds. “We only work with materials whose source we can verify,” he insists.
|
| 18K gold, diamond, and pink tourmaline ring & 18K gold, diamond, and amethyst ring by Demeter |
Right from the beginning, the award-winning Zale understood the importance of branding. He focused his efforts on creating and developing celebrityendorsed jewellery brands or those based on iconic personalities. He launched Demeter® in 2005 with supermodel Rachel Hunter as spokesperson. Featuring a range of colourful pieces in gemstones, diamonds, and 18K gold, it was named after the Greek goddess of the harvest. (demeterjewelry.com)
|
| Silver and gemstone ring by Seventeen |
Zalemark ventured into the youth jewellery market with the launch of Seventeen™ in collaboration with the magazine. This line offers playful pieces in quality sterling silver and gemstones. (seventeenjewelry.com)
<
|
| Silver and turquoise bracelet by B.Smith |
One of his other projects, B. Smith Jewelry, was created in partnership with B. Smith, a fashion model turned lifestyle expert, TV talk show host, author, restaurateur, and entrepreneur. The collection includes affordable and fun jewellery made in a variety of materials. (bsmithjewelry.com)
|
| White gold and gemstone necklace, 18K gold bridal rings & Blue topaz and diamond earrings by Badgley Mischka |
More recently, Steven Zale has ventured into the world of bridal and high fashion with the Badgley Mischka line of fine jewellery. The design duo of Mark Badgley and James Mischka has been hailed by Vogue as one of the “Top 10 American Designers” as well as the darlings of the Hollywood set. Having made their mark over the past two decades with glamorous, stylish and wearable evening wear, bridal gowns, and accessories, the team now partners with Zalemark for a line of couture bridal and fashion jewellery in 18K gold set with diamonds and gemstones. (badgleymischkajewelry.com)
As part of his desire to give back to the community, Steven Zale supports many charities but is particularly involved with Operation Smile, a nonprofi t global organization providing surgery for children with facial deformities. A portion of total sales of the Demeter collection is donated to this worthy cause.
Along with Zale’s transformation of Zalemark into a major product design and development agency have come a number of recognitions including “Forbes 2008 Designer of the Year,” and the “2009 Best Jewelry Designers Award” given by the U.S. Commerce Association. But Steven Zale is not resting on his laurels. He continues to defi ne the edge while searching for the next brand to build.
