EXCLUSIVE: Alana Hadid Debuts as the Face of New Jewelry Brand The Marqe
Alana Hadid has a penchant for the nontraditional. The model — and elder sister of Gigi and Bella —became engaged at 41, and rather than a diamond, her partner proposed with a vintage amethyst.
Hadid, however, is no outlier: She represents a growing Gen Z and Millennial contingent who are not only delaying marriage, but forgoing it altogether. It’s exactly why becoming the face of Suzan Doganay-Es’ new jewelry brand The Marqe, launching Wednesday, “felt like kismet,” Hadid said.
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“I noticed the shift in marriage trends and the unique relationship dynamics emerging — as well as the rise in demand for personalization — and realized that the jewelry industry hasn’t really adapted to this change,” Doganay-Es explained in a statement. “I saw a gap in the industry and felt a strong need to reimagine commitment rings for a new era.”
The promise ring is not a new concept. It’s thought to have originated in ancient times as gift exchanged between the betrothed, though today, it’s commonly associated with the idea of celibacy before marriage.
Doganay-Es seeks to expand the definition of commitment jewelry, the flexibility of which is apparent in her designs. The Marqe’s customizable pieces, priced from $250 to $5,000, feature a variety of metals (14-karat yellow and white gold, sterling silver) and gemstones (from emeralds to garnets to lab-grown diamonds). The brand’s interlocking Marqe rings can be opened and closed, allowing for the addition of a separate solitaire band, called The Promise.
“As your style changes, as your life changes, the brand grows with you,” Hadid said. “A ring that someone gets at 25 might not be the same one they want at 55. With Marqe, you can always have the ring that you committed with and add to it throughout your life. It really speaks to the changing of relationships and how they grow and evolve.”
Marqe’s rings aren’t limited to couples. Per Hadid, a piece of commitment jewelry is also symbolic of promises you make to yourself, your family or friends.
“The promise could be to fight for your peoples’ liberation, the promise could be that I’m going to be a good child to my mother,” Hadid explained. “Looking down at something and reminding yourself that you’ve made that promise can be really profound.”
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