Meet Lelio Zoccai | Designer and Co-Founder of DARKAI Jewelry

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lelio Zoccai and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lelio, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
My favorite affirmation is “when a door closes another window opens”, which may seem simple and basic at first, but I found it to be extremely accurate throughout my career and personal life. I believe each and every entrepreneur had setbacks that then brought new exciting opportunities that wouldn’t have arose if it wasn’t for that setback, making this quote very relevant and motivational if you think about it deeply. The thought of “something bigger” coming your way after a disappointment is the greatest and fastest comeback as an entrepreneur which always need hunger and hope to keep the momentum and energy going as times know how to be tough in business. When you learn how to process this affirmation and open yourself to the belief it becomes incredibly powerful.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
DARKAI is all about art and aesthetic. My vision since the early days of the brand is the one to offer a product and an idea that is unconventional and different to which a specific community of people can resonate with. The modern world is saturated of products, noise, images etc. and I believe the only possible way to strive in such a chaos is to rise as your true self and find the ones who understand you and support you. Art is subjective, nobody can perceive it the exact same way another person does and that’s what I love about it and what I think about while designing. I became a designer by sitting in my family’s goldsmith laboratory since I was a child and watching the artisans pass one another these golden pieces until the final product was created always mesmerized me. After university I started making drawings and developing my first designs and I never stopped. I believe that the biggest challenge of a designer is the consciousness that there’s always something new to discover: techniques, colors, materials is an ever changing world and sometimes it may be overwhelming. I’d like to let world know that we work to reinterpret jewelry, to create a new vision and a young approach to a centuries old heritage.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Shoutout goes to my brother and business partner Giacomo, my best friend since forever and shoulder to keep me up during rough times. We have lived an incredible adventure so far and wish nothing but the very best to him.

Website: https://www.darkai-lab.com

Instagram: @lelio.zoccai

Linkedin: leliozoccai

Image Credits
@darkai_lab