The Singular Aesthetics of Martine Ali

Growing up in Chicago, Martine Ali always knew she wanted to be a jewelry designer. “Since I was a very, very little kid,” she says via Zoom from her home in Brooklyn. Inspiration came close to home—and not always from the sources we’d expect. “Fast food and TV,” she grins, speaking of her earliest touchstones. “At that point, no one had really told parents [those things] were unhealthy.”

Fast-forward two decades and Ali’s dreams have materialized, following an ascent from a childhood business to designing for DKNY to launching her namesake line. Merging the stylistic influences she absorbed from MTV Jams, TRL and 106 & Park in the late ’90s and early 2000s with a sculptural, modular design approach that allows the wearer to unlock and reconnect the pieces, her creations are suited to any individual’s aesthetic and functional needs. Kendrick Lamar, Machine Gun Kelly, Doja Cat and Rihanna have all worn Ali’s heavy sterling silver chains, outsized crosses and artful charms. Artists like Isa Genzken and archival print publications—ranging from music mags to vintage porn and car publications—provide inspiration.

For GOAT Black Friday 2022, Ali designed and styled a selection of exclusive pieces, including a chainmail bag rendered in a dark, gun-metal finish and a large colorful cross sitting on a delicate charm necklace.