The story of Malone Souliers is a thoroughly international one
Mary Alice Malone is the American-born footwear designer with a unique set of global influences and reference points for her line Malone Souliers—from the traditional American Northeast, rugged American West, all with a certain European refinement. Her shoes are serious, with an equal mix of form and function that have garnered countless loyal wearers.
As a teenager in Pennsylvania, she was a decorated dressage rider, ultimately becoming part of the U.S. Junior Olympic Equestrian Team and working regularly with the traditional materials and gear associated with horse-riding: suede, saddles, riding boots, and tailored jackets.
In college, she pursued industrial design and skilled crafts like woodworking, welding, and carpentry, which cemented her excitement for the total creative process of functional objects. A foray into fashion was only a small leap to make, which Malone did when she enrolled in a cordwainers course at the London College of Fashion.
The rest, as they say, is history, and her eponymous line of luxury footwear has been quietly preferred by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kylie Jenner, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, along with the fashion elite and discerning consumers since 2014.
We love Malone Souliers because the line is a bit like the modern Manolo Blahnik. Both Blahnik and Malone are expat Londoners, with shoes produced in Italy under a steady, trendless aesthetic. Classic icons of the brand like the Maureen, Robyn, and Maisey appear season after season, reimagined in new materials and colors. And though they may look simple, they’re reliably high quality, timeless—unlikely to ever appear passé—and designed with the practicalities of modern women in mind.
Because Malone has a history in outdoor sports and recreation, and an appreciation for the functional requirements of footwear, even the kind with a skinny stiletto heel, her shoes are also known for their excellent comfort over long periods of wear. Unlike many designer shoes that are beautiful but painful to wear for an extended time, Malone Souliers are often referenced by Hollywood stylists as one of their go-to brands for extended wearer comfort (balanced with elegance) for Red Carpet premiers.
This season, we’re loving the Malone Souliers Matilda Flat Loafers in metallic blue leather, the Maisie Pumps in raffia and elastic rope, the Brook Pumps in black mesh, and the Maureen Flats in nude leather.
The designer also recently launched mens footwear with a single shape (the Miles) in Black Tie ready materials like black patent leather and bordeaux velvet.
Discover more luxury footwear names to know: Maison Margiela Tabi, John Lobb, Fabi, Common Projects, and BY FAR.
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About the Author
Alex English is the Head of Content Marketing at italist.com, building on a lifelong passion for fashion and luxury. After publishing a lifestyle blog for nearly ten years and obtaining an MBA in Milan at SDA Bocconi, one of Europe’s top business schools, he joined the italist team in 2019. His work since then has focused on upper-funnel messaging, brand storytelling, establishing italist as a thought leader in the space, and enriching the customer experience on the platform. Find him on LinkedIn.