Zelli Italia: Endangered Style

Zelli Italia: Endangered Style

How a Fort Worth Oilman's Conservation Legacy Became Luxury Footwear

Tom Mantzel didn't set out to build a luxury footwear brand. He set out to save cheetahs. But the same CITES paperwork expertise that allowed him to import endangered species from Africa ultimately gave him a singular advantage in the $25 billion footwear industry and in 1996, Zelli Italia was born. Three decades later, the brand remains one of the best-kept secrets in men's luxury footwear, producing handcrafted shoes in Tuscany from some of the world's finest exotic leathers. For the discerning gentleman building a curated closet grounded in timeless style, the Zelli story offers something rare: a brand whose roots run through wildlife conservation, Texas oil country, and the artisan workshops of Italy.

At San Martini, where personal style meets purpose, Zelli Italia represents the kind of brand worth knowing. One where Italian craftsmanship and classic American sensibility converge in every stitch.

From Texas Oil Fields to an African Wildlife Ranch

Tom Mantzel's path to luxury footwear began in the oil fields of Texas. A graduate of Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Mantzel built his career in the petroleum industry during the boom years, establishing himself as a successful Fort Worth oilman. But his passion extended far beyond crude, as he was captivated by exotic animals.

In 1973, Mantzel purchased an exotic game ranch called Waterfall Ranch near Glen Rose, Texas, roughly 55 miles southwest of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex in Somervell County. He renamed it Fossil Rim Wildlife Ranch and transformed what began as a weekend retreat into a full-scale conservation operation. Over the next decade, he added approximately 1,000 acres to the property, eventually encompassing some 1,400 acres of rolling Texas Hill Country terrain. Mantzel's obsession grew as he imported dozens of species, including zebras, antelopes, rhinoceroses, sable antelope, scimitar-horned oryxes, and turned Fossil Rim into something that had never existed before: a private ranch dedicated to breeding endangered species.

The turning point came in 1982, when Mantzel brought Grévy's zebras to the ranch in his first formal effort to propagate an endangered species. That year, Fossil Rim became the first non-traditional zoo, the first ranch, to participate in a Species Survival Plan (SSP) with the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). This was unprecedented. Traditional zoos had dominated AZA breeding programs; a Texas rancher had never been invited to the table. Mantzel's success with the Grévy's zebra program opened the door to even more ambitious work.

He then persuaded the U.S. government to allow him to import cheetahs from South Africa, not a small bureaucratic feat. Navigating the labyrinthine CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) documentation required precision that few private operators possessed. As Mantzel later told CNN: "You can't just pick up the phone and call Africa for a couple of cheetahs. If your paperwork is not precise, the cheetahs go back. You could move crack cocaine easier than exotic animal products." The first cheetah litters were born at Fossil Rim in 1986, and over the years, more than 200 cheetahs have been born there. A figure that has since grown to over 300 as the program continued under subsequent leadership. Fossil Rim also developed programs for black and white rhinoceroses, working with the International Rhino Foundation, and later became instrumental in the reintroduction of scimitar-horned oryx to Chad in 2016.

By 1984, however, the near-collapse of the petroleum industry was devastating the Texas economy. To keep the ranch financially viable, Mantzel opened Fossil Rim to the public on June 21, 1984, building a nine-mile scenic drive through the property and adding visitor amenities. His small staff introduced Grant's zebras, ostriches, and reticulated giraffes to delight day-trippers while the serious conservation work continued behind the scenes. In 1986, Fossil Rim earned full AZA accreditation, the first facility of its kind to receive that distinction.

The 1987 Sale & a Conservation Legacy that Endures Today

Despite the public revenue, Mantzel's losses in the oil industry proved insurmountable. By 1987, foreclosure was imminent. Enter Jim Jackson, a former helicopter pilot, and Krystyna Jurzykowski, a documentary filmmaker, were an independently wealthy couple who had been inspired by English conservationist John Aspinall's work. They were originally planning to purchase land on Martinique for a wildlife preserve when they learned about Fossil Rim through animal propagation experts. Mantzel approached them, and after an extraordinary leap of faith, Jackson and Jurzykowski wired $25,000 based on a two-hour phone call with a man they'd never met, they purchased the ranch outright.

On May 7, 1987, Fossil Rim Wildlife Ranch became Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. Under its new stewardship, the facility expanded its conservation programs, educational offerings, and visitor services. In 2000, it formally became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under the auspices of Earth Promise, an international conservation organization.

Today, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center thrives as an 1,800-acre conservation center housing over 1,100 animals representing more than 50 species, of which 22 are vulnerable or endangered. Its five pillars of conservation, scientific research, professional training, natural resource stewardship, and public education, carry forward the vision Mantzel planted more than five decades ago. The facility offers a 7.2-mile scenic wildlife drive, guided safari tours, behind-the-scenes experiences, overnight lodging at The Lodge (originally Mantzel's home) and the Foothills Safari Camp, and robust educational programs. It remains a founding member of the Conservation Centers for Species Survival (C2S2), whose headquarters are located on the property.

Mantzel himself has maintained connections to Fossil Rim. Through his later venture, Zelli Handbags, he established a partnership with TCU and Fossil Rim Wildlife Center to support conservation of the Texas horned lizard, with 10% of proceeds from select products going directly to a dedicated breeding facility at Fossil Rim.

From Cheetahs to Crocodile: the 1996 Birth of Zelli Italia

When Mantzel sold Fossil Rim in 1987, he walked away with something perhaps more valuable than the land itself: an unmatched expertise in CITES documentation and the international exotic animal trade. For nearly fifteen years, he had mastered the regulatory framework governing the movement of exotic species across international borders with the permits, the inspections, the chain-of-custody requirements that governments demand.

A decade later, he leveraged that exact skill set to enter an entirely different industry. In 1996, Mantzel launched Zelli Shoes with $200,000 in startup capital, crafting upscale men's shoes from non-endangered ostrich, crocodile, and javelina (peccary) leathers. The first collection was a small but refined offering of footwear, belts, and wallets, all expertly crafted by artisans in the Tuscany region of Italy. From the very beginning, Mantzel insisted on Italian production because, as the brand's philosophy states, "there is a reason that the most exquisite shoes made are crafted in Italy."

The brand name itself carries the founder's DNA. Mantzel extracted "Zell" from his own surname, then added the Italian suffix "-i" to create "Zelli," a name that felt naturally Italian while embedding the founder's identity. Paired with "Italia," it signaled the brand's dual nature: classic American styling rooted in impeccable Italian craftsmanship.

Zelli quickly gained a foothold at Nordstrom and men's specialty retailers across the United States. The shoes sold for $200 to $1,000 a pair, and within a few years, the company was posting seven-figure annual revenues. In a 2009 profile for CNN's Fortune Small Business titled "An oilman's new fortune: Turning exotic animals into shoes," Mantzel attributed the brand's success to his unconventional skill set, the CITES expertise, the relationships with tanneries and exotic leather farms, and a personal touch that included handwritten thank-you notes to every online customer.

To secure the finest materials, Mantzel tried everything from raising ostriches in Texas to supporting villages in Africa. Ultimately, he found that Africa does ostrich better and today, Zelli sources its ostrich leather directly from farms in southern Africa. The brand's tagline crystallizes its identity: "Impeccable Italian craftsmanship. Classic American styling. The finest materials."

Gary Wasserman & Robyn Crowder Shaped Zelli

Two key figures transformed Zelli from a niche exotic leather house into the broader luxury footwear brand it is today.

Gary Wasserman brought over 40 years of footwear industry experience when he joined Zelli around 2009–2010. Wasserman was no minor hire. He had founded Garys, a legendary high-end men's shop in Brentwood, California in 1966, later expanding to Newport Beach's Fashion Island. He sold the business in 1984 to Dick Braeger, co-founder of Cole Haan, and went on to serve as lead designer at Cole Haan, where he is credited with creating their iconic driving shoe line. When Wasserman came aboard at Zelli, he brought a clear-eyed assessment of the brand's potential. "Zelli is a well-kept secret," he told Footwear News. "The shoes are ridiculously well priced. I used to sell $2,500 skin shoes at Garys."

Wasserman's design philosophy for Zelli was deliberate: "I'm trying to create modern classics. Tom doesn't want to be in the high-fashion business, and he shouldn't be." He introduced more opening price-point shoes in premium calfskins and nappas with exotic trim, added hybrid dress-casual styles, and created showstopper pieces like an English suede driving shoe with a matching crocodile penny strap. Under his creative direction, the Italian-made collection grew to encompass at least 100 styles each season.

In January 2015, Robyn Crowder became President and CEO of Zelli Italia, bringing deep corporate experience from some of America's largest men's apparel companies. Her career spanned Haggar Clothing Co. (1997–2004), VF Jeanswear (2004–2008), and senior roles at Walls Industries and Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma's Price College of Business, Crowder brought merchandising acumen and marketing sophistication to a brand that had been built primarily on product excellence.

Crowder's vision pushed Zelli into new territory: "Our vision is to fuse the comfort and cool of a sneaker with the beauty of the finest leathers and exotic skins." She oversaw the development of new styles, the Roma, Marco, Antonio, Giovanni, and expanded the sneaker line while maintaining the brand's commitment to premium materials. She has described the creative freedom at Zelli as something "which was a scarce commodity in the corporate board rooms of the men's apparel companies where she spent part of her career."

What Makes a Zelli Shoe: Materials, Construction, & CITES Compliance

The foundation of every Zelli shoe is its materials. The brand sources from the best tanneries in the world, selecting each exotic skin by hand, a necessity given the natural variation in quality. The current exotic leather lineup includes Certified Caiman Crocodile ($895–$1,595), Certified Nile Crocodile (up to $2,495 at select retailers), Certified Teju Lizard ($1,095), full-quill Ostrich ($895–$995), Python, and Peccary (the leather from the South American javelina). For the calfskin collection ($495–$795), Zelli uses exclusively Carli Princess calfskin, a premium Italian calf leather prized for its softness, durability, and ability to absorb dyes and accept burnishing to create extraordinary depth of color and polish. As Crowder has noted, "You just don't get that with ordinary cow leather." The brand also works in Italian sueded goatskin, deerskin, and nappa leather. The sneaker line ($445–$595) blends sueded baby calf, woven leathers, and exotic accents with a python stripe here, a crocodile toe cap there.

Every shoe is built on Blake Canalino Stitch construction, described by the brand as "the hallmark of a fine Italian shoe." This method, favored for decades in Tuscany, creates a shoe that is sleek, lightweight, and maximally flexible while remaining durable enough for years of wear and easy to resole. Inside, newer models feature Poron® insoles for cushioning, full vegetable-tanned calfskin linings, and Napa glove linings in sneaker styles. Outsoles vary by model, super-flex leather for dress shoes, Vibram rubber for boots and casual styles, and rubber track soles for sneakers.

CITES compliance is non-negotiable. Every exotic skin is documented from farm to processing to production, a chain of custody that prevents poached animals from entering the supply chain and ensures environmental sustainability. Products are labeled as "Certified" on the website, and international shipments of protected leathers require specialized permits. This is where Mantzel's original expertise remains embedded in the company's DNA, a conservation-minded approach to the exotic leather trade that treats compliance not as a burden but as a competitive advantage.

The Tom James Partnership & Where Zelli Stands Now

In August 2024, Zelli Italia announced a partnership with the Tom James Company, the world's largest manufacturer and retailer of custom clothing. Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, Tom James is a 100% employee-owned, vertically integrated operation with approximately 3,000 employees across 97 locations worldwide and estimated annual revenues of $750 million. Their clothiers visit clients at homes and offices to deliver custom-tailored suits, shirts, and sport coats.

The partnership extends Tom James's offering into luxury footwear for the first time, with over 50 Zelli styles available through their clothiers and website. The announcement, authored by Tom James Clothier Kim Keller from the company's Dallas office, highlighted the natural fit: both brands serve men who value quality, craftsmanship, and personalized service. Zelli's Italian calfskin, sueded goatskin, peccary, and exotic leather shoes now complement Tom James's custom clothing, creating a complete wardrobe solution for the discerning gentleman.

Today, Zelli Italia operates from Irving, Texas, with Robyn Crowder continuing as CEO and an estimated annual revenue of approximately $6 million. The brand sells direct-to-consumer through zelliitalia.com and through specialty retailers including Patrick James, Sherman Brothers, Williams & Kent, J. Men's Clothing, and others. Tom Mantzel, now in his late seventies, remains connected to the exotic leather world through Zelli Handbags, a custom luxury handbag venture that uses alligator, crocodile, ostrich, python, and nappa leathers and maintains a conservation partnership with TCU and Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.

The full product range today spans loafers, low-vamp loafers, lace-ups, monk straps, boots, drivers, sneakers, and suede styles in the footwear line, plus belts, wallets, key loops, and accessories in leather goods. Sizes run from 7.5 to 14, with narrow and wide widths available as special orders.

A Brand Where Conservation Meets the Curated Closet

What makes Zelli Italia remarkable isn't just the quality of its shoes, though a pair of Tuscan-made crocodile penny loafers with Blake Canalino construction will hold its own against any luxury house. It's the origin story. Few brands in men's luxury footwear can trace their founding directly to endangered species conservation. Few founders brought their expertise from importing cheetahs to importing calfskin. And few companies maintain that same ethical thread, with CITES-compliant sourcing, hand-selected skins, transparent chain of custody,  across three decades of production.

For the man who approaches personal style as a form of self-respect, who values a curated closet of well-made pieces over fast-fashion volume, Zelli represents an intersection of values that is increasingly hard to find. The brand's enduring philosophy captures it simply: "Enduring style does not chase trends, and neither do you." In a market saturated with mass-produced luxury, Zelli Italia remains what Gary Wasserman called it, a well-kept secret, ridiculously well priced, and made the way great shoes should be made: by hand, in Italy, from the finest materials on earth. Exactly why we, at San Martini, are proud to offer them to you.

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