Growing up, Zani was raised with the notion that if you are focused, committed to yourself and work diligently towards a goal, you will then attain it.  This is the principle and meaning that Santo was founded on.

After receiving her BA from Bowdoin College, Zani moved to NYC and studied jewelry design with Cecilia Bauer. In 2002 she founded the high-end jewelry line Filigrana by Zani drawn from her Peruvian heritage, and in 2008 she moved her collection into a special order line so she could focus on Santo: a more personal and conceptual line that enables her clients to directly interact with her work as they customize the pendants to express their style and set their goals.