Catherine Marion Goes Jemily

After an extensive career as a successful corporate finance attorney with a major international law firm, Catherine Marion decided to pursue her passion for jewelry and design. She studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology where she received a degree in Jewelry Design in 2007. At the start of her career, Marion worked with renowned designer Sharyn Wolf, whose original ethnic-inspired jewelry became an early inspiration. A later move to to Azul Partners, a wholesale jewelry company that sells high-end bridal collections, gave Marion even more insight into the business end of the industry. Today she speaks to PINK about the choices that have paved her life.

Q: Business person or artist… which title best describes Catherine Marion and which calling came first, despite your days law firm days?
A: I would say I am a business person first but always with an artistic bent (This is developed further after attending FIT).

For example, under the tutelage of my father, I started reading “The Wall Street Journal” and other business periodicals at a young age and bought my first shares of stock when I was 12. We would watch business shows together (i.e., “Wall Street Week”) and discuss the pros and cons of various investments as well as things going on in the business world. Since my father started out as an organic chemist and then headed up the research department of a large international chemical company and I have an undergraduate degree in science, we are currently collaborating on several projects that would improve certain aspects in the manufacturing of jewelry.

My mother also has a science degree and she bucked the trend in the 50’s of getting married right out of college and starting on the mommy track. Rather, after graduation, she taught biochemistry for several years at a nursing college (that changed when my Grandfather kicked my father onto a plane to go and propose to my Mom – they had met sophomore year in college but neither was ready to settle down right out of college).

Despite their degrees in science, both my parents pursued artistic “hobbies.” My father taught himself how to do stained glass years ago and has continued refining his skills to this day. He now has stained glass windows hanging in several churches in the Philadelphia region. My mom was always sketching something as well as doing creative crafts around the house. I still remember the chimney she made from scratch and decorated for Christmas when I was five.

When I was seven, my maternal Grandmother decided it was time to teach me “suitable fine arts for a young lady”— I learned tatting (lacemaking), needlework, knitting/crochet and quilt making. I would like to think that family “genetics” have passed the “creative gene” on to me. Lately, I have been experimenting embroidering with precious and semiprecious gemstones and thin gold wire as the thread.

In order to successfully run my own jewelry company, I combine my business knowledge, legal expertise and as well as my creative design side. My business acumen has kept me from overextending my jewelry business in the challenging business environment we have all been facing since 2008. With my jewelry designs, I offer women jewelry that is versatile, comfortable to wear (I think we all own at least one pair of earrings that grows too heavy within a few hours of wearing — this is something I am very aware of when creating new pieces) and at good price points.

Q: Is there a specific person or persons who helped pave your current walk?
A: I would have to say my father. He never discouraged me from any line of study and never said I couldn’t do something because I was a woman. In fact, the line of law I practiced was predominantly male-dominated and it was not unusual for me to be the only woman in a roomful of lawyers and businessmen.

Q: Why jewelry?
A: I once saw a sign at a career fair that said “Let your passion be your profession.” I have always loved the uniqueness of jewelry and how it allows me to express my personality. In terms of my jewelry collections, I love being able to offer women designs that can be worn both every day and for fancier occasions. The Idrissa cuffs are one good example. One woman I know never takes her cuff off. The first time I saw a woman walking in Manhattan wearing a pair of my earrings, it finally hit me that I was making jewelry that women were really buying!

Q: The names of your collection are unique…what steps lead you to naming your collections and designing your pieces?
A: Definitely the designs come first. Design inspiration, for me, comes from direct observation. For example, the gold leaf fleur de lis on the wrought iron fence surrounding Bryant Park led to the Fleur de Lis collection. However, rather than just a single fleur de lis, I rotated four of them around a circular shape.

The designs then inspire the names of the various collections. For example, narcissus are my favorite spring flower. After a long cold, snowy winter, their cheery yellow blossoms tell me I’ve made it through another dreary and seemingly endless winter. (Can you tell winter is my least favorite season?) The six yellow petals at the base of these flowers form the frame of the pieces in the Narcissus collection.

The name “Idrissa” is from my publicist Lori Zelenko, LSZ COMMUNICATIONS — she saw that the designs were influenced by the Moorish architecture of the Alhambra in Spain and came up with Idrissa which in the language of the Moors means “immortal.” My favorite piece in all my collections is the Idrissa pendant set with tanzanite, ombre purple sapphires and diamonds. The combination of the satin and bright finish really give depth to the piece and the purple sapphires were carefully selected by me to pick up the glints of pink and purple in the center tanzanite. I spent a week looking at different sets of sapphires to make sure I picked the stones that would work together most beautifully.

Q: How does Cathy dream at night?
A: This is a tough one. My daughter (the “Jen” part of “jemily”) told me to answer “I sleep horribly because my husband snores so loudly so no dreams are possible.”

I rarely get enough sleep so dreams are fitful at best (they usually are in color though) and if I read any part of a murder mystery that tends to flavor my dreams. I usually fall asleep thinking about design issues, colored gemstones I want to use and the like, but this doesn’t flow over into my dreams. Daydreams aren’t a part of my makeup either. I tend to do a lot of thinking on the train and as I walk to and from my office and Penn Station. (I still wonder why the large button that is part of the button and needle sculpture on Seventh Avenue and 39^th Street and the symbol of the fashion district, has five holes…) I can’t even listen to music as after the first few bars, my mind is off and running and I no longer hear the music.

Q: Do you cling onto a specific faith?
A: “Clinging onto” connotes, to me, hanging on to my faith by my fingernails which is not the case. I was raised in the Catholic faith (including Catholic school and ugly grey plaid uniforms) and both my daughters are being raised Catholic although I make sure that they are aware of, and understand, the Jewish faith as that is a part of their heritage as well. I have taught religious education for seven years and have strong beliefs in the existence of God. However, this does not stop me from questioning my faith at times and the roadblocks He puts in my path. I find the best time to ponder my faith and ask questions of Him are on the late night walks with my dog. (Yes, I occasionally ask for just a peak at His overall plan for me to see if I am headed in the right direction. The only answer I seem to receive though is “be patient”!)

Q: Have you reached your life’s purpose?
A: No. If I ever said yes to this question, it would be from my deathbed. I never want to stop learning. In terms of jewelry, I have been collecting beautiful and rare gemstones and plan to create one of a kind pieces of jewelry. I have made a few such pieces for my daughters to wear when they get older and can appreciate the gemstones.

Photo by David Lewis Taylor |
JEMILY gold and diamond bracelets