A born and bred New Yorker with strong Egyptian roots, Marei’s childhood curiosities revolved around the mysterious and magical. “I was always attracted to the dark side.”  She grew up an expert in superstition and the Egyptian afterlife, thanks to her father, which led to a strange romance with all things occult. Horror films, thriller fiction novels, and thrift shopping for magic spells became the norm, as she marveled over how the bold and uniquely beautiful refused to die.

“It was my dream to become some sort of artist as a child.” Her dream led her to the Pratt Institute, where she earned a degree in Communications design. Sorceress of the screen, she became a master art director in ad land, working for luxury brands like Gucci, YSL, John Varvatos, and Estee Lauder. The thirst to create soon forged further than keyboards and Wacom pads. Marei wanted to get her hands dirty and built the beautiful and luxurious, rather than just brand them. 

She began studying with master jeweler Jukka Keranen and was instantly hooked. “Jewelry making and designing suddenly became my addiction, it was like a fever.” She devoted all her time to the craft, taking time off of work and returning to school. Constantly working on new techniques and designs, she continues to feed her addiction with workshops at Fitzgerald Jewelry School in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 

Her works are a harmonic hybrid of the old and new world. With ancient methods like wax modeling and metal casting she handcrafts geometrically bold pieces with bright contemporary accents. With 3D printing technology she brings to life shapes reminiscent of the epic pyramids and Sphinxes of Egypt. And all her pieces pop with opulent gemstones, all ethically sourced.

The Angie Marei outside of designing is the Angie Marei inside of designing. “I never stop.” Truly driven by her family and her jewelry making, she’s made a beautiful life of balancing the two. “It’s amazing what you can get done with a baby carrier, an iPhone, computer, and lots of coffee!” Always happy and always smiling,despite her dark desires, she’s a fine example of how if you find what you love, you never work a day in your life.