For over 50 years, Zai Design Hive has carried forward a legacy that began when Cesar Carungay, one of the pioneers of the Philippine fashion jewelry industry, helped propel Cebu-made accessories onto the global stage. His early creations rode the momentum of the 1970s boom—famously amplified when Elizabeth Taylor was photographed in a puka shell necklace, sparking an international craze and ushering Cebu into the spotlight.

In 2000, the next generation stepped in as Gil Zaire “Butch” Carungay—fresh from New York, where he worked in strategic management consulting after graduating from the Wharton School (Finance & Marketing)—took the helm. Under his leadership, the company made a decisive pivot toward design-intensive, meticulously handcrafted collections using premium materials sourced from around the world. This bold evolution marked the beginning of a new era, leading to multiple awards in Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Manila, and Cebu, and solidifying the brand’s identity as a design-driven innovator.

Today, carrying the founder’s legacy and the second-generation vision encoded in its name—Zai, from Zaire—Zai Design Hive creates fashion jewelry, travel souvenirs, lifestyle objects, and home décor, while also offering bespoke creative consultancy shaped by decades of global exposure and design leadership.