Silversmith & Model @mahlee_sem23
Photographer @bonefireheart.photo
Studio 1918
Tell us about yourself! What do you do outside of Gem Studio?
Hey guys!! My name is Mahlee Sem, I’m our Marketing Assistant here at Gem. I don’t always get to teach workshops but when I do, I always have a blast. If you've been to the studio you've probably seen me running around making tiktoks lol. Outside of Gem, I love to go to brunch, go line dancing with my friends, and go thrifting. I also love to travel and would love a new travel buddy so if you’re up for the job let me know. I’m always in search of new brunch places in Utah, so toss me an invite if you're ever getting brunch.
What inspired this collection?
My collection is called the Wild Child Collection. There isn’t really one meaning to the collection but the moral of the story, I’m kinda a wild child. I was born and raised in North Dakota.. I know what you’re thinking.. North Dakota?? Yes, from a young age I knew that living there just wasn’t my vibe because I love to travel and meet new people. I traveled to other countries in high school and knew I wanted to move to a city for college. After lots of decision making I somehow landed on Salt Lake City. After moving to Utah knowing not a single person in the entire state, I changed up my whole vibe. I have made tons of new friends, experienced new things, and overall became the person I am today. I love to do things on a whim and am always down for a night out on the town!
What are you most passionate about?
Oh gosh, I’m passionate about so many random things like my instagram feed, clothes, mullets.. But I'm most passionate about traveling. I had never stepped on a plane until I was 16, and the first place I flew to was Europe. Clearly growing up in North Dakota, there isn’t much culture you experience there, so that trip was soooo eye opening for me. After going to Europe I knew traveling was something I wanted to do more regularly. The next summer I went back to Europe, and I am now hoping to study abroad within the next year.
What is currently playing on your Spotify/Apple Music?
First of all, follow my spotify @mahleesem I really listen to everything from Harry Styles, to the Growlers, to Morgan Wallen, to 070 Shake. I would say my favorite genre is alternative/indie, but I am a sucker for some country once and a while… I know that's controversial but don't try to tell me that country music on the boat at the lake doesn’t hit different. I’m also going to a ton of concerts in Salt Lake coming up like MGK, Remi Wolf, and Louis the Child, so if you're going to any of those hit me up!!
What do you want to manifest in your life over the next year?
In the next year, I want to manifest good fortune and good friendships. Having a good mindset is something i've been trying to work on. Being in college it's always go go go. Whether it's classes, work, or just hanging out with friends, I'm always up to something. So it's always a good idea for me to slow down and take a couple days to regroup. Also my friends mean the absolute world to me, being away from home and not seeing my family it's nice to have people around who care about me. My gem fam is also always here for me when I'm struggling or need someone to talk to.
What is your favorite gem, and why?
White Buffalo! There is no doubt that white buffalo is my fav gem, it is so freaking pretty. I wear a lot of colorful outfits but nothing is better than having rings with white buffalo that match EVERYTHING. It’s also one of our more rare stones so that just adds to the excitement of getting to have a couple rings with it.
What is your favorite part of your job?
For my position at gem I get to experience a lot of different areas. I go on photoshoots, make tiktoks, write blogs, occasionally silversmith, and a lot of other small tasks. But I would say my favorite part is getting to collaborate with so many people. Whether it's for a collection we are dropping with a brand, or working with influencers, I get to meet so many new people and make connections.
What is your favorite gem studio memory?
My favorite gem memory was our Christmas party. I had only worked at Gem for about 3 months at this point so I was very new to the fam but we all had a blast talking to each other. We had a bomb dinner and dessert and then did a gift exchange where I almost won a dog calendar but then someone stole it and I ended up with a pinata. I still dream of the dog calendar.. so if you're thinking go getting me a early Christmas gift there's an idea.
