The co-founders of Mallet London share what’s next for the global footwear brand.
Tommy Mallet and Evren Ozka are building an international empire, one step at a time. The founders of London-based Mallet London, Mallet and Ozka have expanded the sneaker brand across Europe and into the United States. We recently caught up with the co-founders to discuss their inspiration behind the business and how they're taking Mallet London to the next level.
Tommy Mallet in his workshop
How did Mallet London get started? Why do you think it’s become a global force
in footwear?
My career in fashion started eight years ago when I co-founded Mallet London with my business partner, Evren. I always wanted to have my own brand and it all started when I was a part of a photoshoot just before the beginning of Mallet. There was a pair of shoes that the stylist gave me to wear for the shoot and I couldn't afford them at the time, so I made my own pair. I wanted to create a sneaker that had the design and quality of a luxury designer but had an accessible price point. The brand grew so quickly after we launched it. We expanded into Europe and then brought Mallet to the U.S. in 2020, which has always been a dream of mine. It was difficult timing because of the pandemic but we made it work and it has been a great success because we didn't give up. - Mallet
Tommy Mallet and Evren Ozka
What gives Mallet London a cutting edge in shoewear?
My main goal is always to keep the prices accessible with the same high quality. That's why Mallet has been such a success and we have loyal customers who see and appreciate that. The shoes are the same quality as luxury brands, but are a fraction of the price. - Mallet
How would you describe the type of person who wears Mallet London?
Our brand is for everyone—we have the fashion guy, the rapper, the businessman—our customers appreciate design and quality, and are fashion forward. - Ozka
What should fans be on the lookout for right now?
We have just launched a new sneaker called The Neptune. It marks a new direction design-wise for us that we are excited about. We are going to be building on this new aesthetic and will have more new styles to come later this year and next spring for both men and women. - Ozka
How has your life inspired the brand's creative output?
My own life has inspired the brand massively. Every Mallet sneaker is named after a special place from my childhood that has personal meaning. For example, the new Neptune was inspired by my childhood spent in council tower blocks, only to soar to new heights with inspiration drawn from the city skyscrapers. - Mallet
What's the next big goal Mallet London is striving toward?
We are looking to continue expanding globally, especially here in the U.S., and we have some amazing collaborations in the pipeline. - Ozka
We definitely have big plans to expand the brand into new markets and stores around the world. We're going to be in one of the biggest stores in Germany this year, as well as other steps into new and existing territories. We want to expand our direct-to-consumer offering, too, so opening more Mallet stores is in the cards. I’m really excited about this year. We have some brand-new style drops that are totally different to anything we have done before, such as lots of color and some amazing collaborations. Stay tuned! - Mallet
To shop Mallet London, visit us.mallet.com.
Photography by: Courtesy of Mallet London
