Mary Alice Malone is getting back in the groove of things. The co-founder and designer left the company in July 2018, only to return to her namesake brand in December while former co-founder and CEO Roy Luwolt departed.
“Design never changed that much. It stayed true to form,” she told FN at the Malone Souliers resort ’20 preview this week in New York, on whether she’s taken a different approach since her return.
The brand is, however, entering new territory with the upcoming launch of men’s. She said, “It’s very exciting,” noting the collection’s focus will be on the loafer. “Men are so specific. I’ve been watching and there are especially a lot of younger men in loafers, which I love because I know sneakers are so big right now. It’s nice to see that push back,” Malone added.
Her women’s line is also seeing the introduction of what the designer calls the “lady loafer.” She said, “It’s not men-inspired. It’s serious but still feminine.”
Other notable highlights from resort ’20 are the brand’s low stacked heels, its deep green and purple hues, and the variation between flats and heels. The collection also features a platform silhouette as well as embellished heeled mules, which include adornments are inspired by vintage brooches. “We made our own,” Malone said on the ornamentations. “I wanted a little bit of movement.”
Malone Souliers first launched in 2014 and continues to expand. Steven Hope — an expert in Chinese e-commerce — was named CEO in 2018. According to the company, sales for spring ’19 were up 176 percent compared with fall ’18.
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