Mark Sabino's Zen Garden
Welcome back to Post Up Radio, providing you with weekly mixes by remarkable guests that not even the algorithm could predict.
This week, we’re excited to bring you a mix by our official jeweler, Mark Sabino. You might catch Mark hooping, running or playing tennis all around downtown Manhattan, but what he spends most of his time on is bezel setting big rocks. He makes without a doubt the wildest jewelry in the game, from Camus inspired pendants, to necklaces that have a fully functioning basketball hoop, not to mention the instantly iconic cannoli necklace. If you’re ever curious about what he’s up to next, make sure to tap into his never-ending Twitter feed for scorching hot takes, and exclusive peeks into his jewelry making process.
Mark Sabino’s Zen Garden mix is now live on Post Up Radio.
Continue reading for our interview with Mark, and a full track list for his mix.
How did you start making jewelry?
Honestly, it started for fun, as a side hustle to fill credits in college. Thanks to the internet it slowly, over the course of a year became a full-time job. I just needed something to fill credits and it seemed more fun to try jewelry than a motorcycle design class. I could be out here making Kawasakis instead.
You don’t only make jewelry, you also have experience in furniture design and wild accessories. How did making a custom full-brim yankees hat for Rihanna come about?
After I really started going in with my jewelry, people were on my page more. They would go back on my page and would find older things I’d made, such as the full-brim Yankees hat, which was over a year old at the time. There was an influx of super talented people who started fucking with my work, and at one point one of them reposted the hat or something else I’d made. Rihanna’s creative director saw it and followed me on Instagram. I didn’t know who he was at that point, but we had mutual friends and he seemed cool so I followed back. The email came maybe a week or two later, that Rihanna wanted a hat from me. I didn’t reach out to anyone, it was just organic. Her team really has their ears to the digital streets to see what’s poppin.
Regarding the legendary cannoli necklace, can you tell us about the origins of your fascination with Italian pastry shops?
It’s my childhood, my family’s Italian. My mom is an old school Italian and Jewish woman from the Bronx. When I was growing up, on birthdays I wouldn’t ask for a birthday cake or ice cream cake, we’d just hit up the pastry store and get cannolis and cookies. Now that I’m an adult, I have opportunities to go to my own favorite spots, and there’s so much nostalgia whenever i go into an authentic pastry shop. I don’t know what inspired me to make a necklace, I think I was just curious to see if it was possible. Once I sketched it up and realized I could make it, I did.
You often post on Twitter about jewelry piece concepts that you want people to order from you. What’s the next piece you NEED to make?
I’ve been talking to someone for about a year now to do the Siouxsie and The Banshees logo, so that needs to happen. After I got commissioned to do a custom necklace inspired by old Persian jewelry design with a lot of blue stones in it, I got obsessed with them. So right now I want to make one of my 4-stone rings or 5-stone necklaces with blue ones in them. Looking back I haven’t used blue stones that much, but they pop really crazy.
Who are your top 5 favorite basketball players of all time?
1. I’d be cheating myself if I didn’t say Allen Iverson. No player has impacted the league like him. They had to make an endless amount of changes because of him.
2. 2011-2012 Knicks Carmelo Anthony, at one point he was the most fun player on earth to watch.
3. I have a really big soft spot for James Harden, because he’s so fun to watch.
4. Vince Carter can’t be left off this list. Best in game dunker of all time no question.
5. JR Smith at any point in his career. High flying Denver Nuggets JR, “you tryna get the pipe” Knicks JR, game-ending Cavs JR. All legendary phases.
Music to cook to: Sade - Lovers Rock or Young Thug - Barter 6
Music to drive to: Radiohead - How To Disappear Completely
Music to work out to: Waka Flocka Flame - Flockaveli
Music for a cocktail hour: Moodymann - forevernevermore
Music that’s a guilty pleasure: French Montana - Wave Gods
Music to Post Up to: Pop Smoke - Meet The Woo 2
Mark Sabino’s Zen Garden Track List:
Marvin Gaye - I Want You (A Cappella With Bass And Congas)
Playboi Carti - Beno!
Kelela - Rewind
Madlib & Four Tet - Hang Out (Phone Off)
Dirty Bird - 9G
Beach House - Wild
Daft Punk - Face To Face
Moodymann - Don’t You Want My Love
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa - One Kiss
Clipse - When The Last Time
Pop Smoke - MPR
ECCO2K - Security
Atoms For Peace - Reverse Running
Madlib & MF Doom - Accordion (Four Tet Remix)
Navy Blue - Memory Lane
Gil Scott-Heron - New York Is Killing Me
You can purchase Mark’s jewelry through his website, and he can be found on Instagram and Twitter