Tali Kogan (pictured) is an accountant turned fashion stylist who’s evolved into a jewelry designer. But perhaps her most important description for herself is that she is a survivor—and it directly affects how she thinks about wearing jewelry.
Dressing women and creating her own jewelry line have been part of Kogan’s recovery from an abusive marriage, and they’ve given her one of the most rewarding careers she could imagine.
“Styling became my medicine,” she says. “This is how I healed myself and got myself from darkness to the light. Once I realized it would help me get through that part of my life, I’ve wanted to share it with other women. It’s a gift.”
This month Kogan celebrated the one-year anniversary of Malkari, her fashion and demi-fine jewelry brand. She uses symbolism in her jewelry designs to help the women who wear them feel protected, strong, and beautiful.
Tali Kogan originally designed the Fanya lion pendant ($233) for a client who she felt needed something strong and dramatic to wear in a photo shoot.
“The name itself is a declaration,” Kogan explains. “Malka means queen in Hebrew, and ari means lion. Together, Malkari is the embodiment of fierce femininity and regal strength.”
In the Chicago-based company’s marketing and advertising, Kogan refers to her clients as “queens,” and she hopes that’s the way they view themselves every day.
“My first husband was a monster, and he was abusive,” says Kogan. “At that time I didn’t feel beautiful. I never thought I was, because not even my parents told me that. They called me ‘the smart one,’ but never beautiful. I wondered later if I ended up in that marriage because of that—I never loved myself, I didn’t feel beautiful.
“I needed to show up differently in the world,” she continues. “That is why I want women to take care of themselves. They ‘call forth the queen’—that’s a key part of my work.”
Kogan began dressing for the life she wanted to have; on her website, she writes about giving up “dark baggy clothes” for “bright, fun expressive clothing.” From there, she created a simple styling method where jewelry adds drama to an outfit.
Then working as an accountant, Kogan realized she could translate her easy-to-follow dressing guidelines to help other women. In 2007, she started a styling business, originally known as Tel Aviv Couture.
Butterflies and hearts—symbols, respectively, of transformation and inner spirit—appear in Malkari jewelry, including the Liraz choker ($133) and Libby necklace ($144).
In 2024, Kogan founded Malkari, focusing on statement jewels. Its initial piece was a lion’s head, which she designed for a client to wear in a fashion photography shoot. Kogan was encouraged to go further with additional jewelry pieces when she saw how the lion jewel transformed that woman’s demeanor during the photo session.
“She is a Leo, which means she is resilient and unstoppable. I wanted to dress her in a lion because that energy is something every woman needs,” she says. “When I couldn’t find the jewelry piece I wanted for her, I worked with a designer in New York City to create it. Everything grew from there.”
Malkari, a direct-to-consumer online brand, also offers jewelry pieces with butterflies, another symbol of transformation, like the one Kogan experienced when her first marriage ended. (She is now remarried and has three children.)
Recently she added beaded necklaces—clients might select just one or several, which go perfectly with a simple white T-shirt in summer, she says.
“My queens—once they try my jewelry, they don’t go back. They start collecting it,” says Kogan. “It’s easier to buy jewelry than more clothing because it doesn’t take up as much space.”
(Photos courtesy of Malkari)