Richard Malone is a rare fashion industry find. A high-brow designer with an outlandish sense of fun and proportion, Malone’s eponymous label has rocketed into the fashion stratosphere since his 2014 graduation from the acclaimed Central Saint Martins. Editors, It-kids and creatives young and old jostle side-by-side for a seat at his kaleidoscopic shows.
Malone Souliers x Richard Malone, SS20
Whilst colour is key, at Richard Malone texture reigns supreme - these are clothes that have to be touched, turned and held aloft to be believed. Highly intricate design, that you want to get intimate with, is his USP. The brand’s AW20 collection was entitled ‘Dominance, Compulsion, Desire’ - everyone wants to get up close and personal with Richard Malone.
Mary Alice Malone’s gift for being in the right place at the right time infuses Malone Souliers’ collaborations with her magic touch. Creating original designs for brands across the globe, Malone Souliers rides the zeitgeist, pushing the brand’s creativity and innovation beyond that of its seasonal offering. Beginning with the SS20 collection, the Richard Malone partnership felt serendipitous; a meeting of aesthetics and minds. True to Malone Souliers form, the collection was playful and bold - think square-toes, block heels and hues of mustard, lilac and cobalt.
Malone Souliers x Richard Malone, SS20
For Richard Malone’s AW20 collection, Mary Alice conjured three styles; a knee-high boot, an ankle boot and an unorthodox, undoubtedly ‘90s take on a classic, single-strap Mary Jane. A small and cohesive collection, each shoe sits on a towering platform sole with a wide, structured welt. Designs are sculptural and grounding, balancing clothes that swathe and encircle the female body with the insouciance of a modernist sculpture in front of a Renaissance painting. Each shoe holds an undeniable grace that is recognisably Malone Souliers, a synchronicity aided by a tonal colour palette of soothing grey, sun-soaked tan, a striking brilliant white and, of course, Richard Malone’s signature mid-blue.
Malone Souliers x Richard Malone, AW20 Catwalk Show
Richard Malone has long been outspoken in his promotion of sustainable fashion. Both brands believe in close, unfiltered relationships with their supply chains, waste-free production practises and in creating pieces that will last when treasured. The Malone Souliers x Richard Malone AW20 collection offers fantasy deeply rooted in reality.
Backstage at the Malone Souliers x Richard Malone AW20 Show
Backstage photography by Tonya Matyu
