How Tommy Mallet Became An Unstoppable Force In Footwear

Since its launch in 2015, Mallet London has enjoyed unparalleled success. Designed with an overarching goal in mind—to represent the life of an everyday Londoner aspiring to be someone—the footwear and apparel brand was co-founded by Tommy Mallet, whom you may recognise from starring in ITV2’s hit reality show, The Only Way Is Essex. The Forbes co-signed brand, which now turns over millions each year, sits comfortably in between luxury and streetwear, filled with slick designs and a minimal yet bold aesthetic. 

Endorsed by some of Britain’s biggest celebs, as well as rap stars such as Drake, will.i.am and Eve, the company has quickly risen through the ranks since its debut release, landing in some of the world’s largest retailers and expanding from sliders and a simple black sneaker to a plethora of clean, sports-inspired styles that rival some of the most desired names out there. 

Boasting just under a decade of hard work, passion and resilience, it’s clear that the imprint has become a reflection of both Tommy Mallet’s beginnings and the development of his role within a now-rapidly growing team. From buttery suede designs to breathable mesh and flexible rubber, Mallet London’s premium silhouettes—including the “Cyrus”, the “Popham” and the “Kingsland”—and forward-thinking collabs with the likes of Tfl (Transport for London) continue to permeate the sneaker space in a way that goes way beyond “hype culture”.

We caught up with Tommy Mallet to hear more about the rise of the imprint, balancing life with ADHD, the future of his brand, and more. 

“I’m not gonna lie: everything since 2014 has been a bit of a blur… I didn’t set out to do any of this stuff.” 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlJfHiNDrkA&w=750&h=415]

COMPLEX: What initially inspired you to venture into footwear design?

Tommy Mallet: A few things, really. From day one, I’ve always been interested in shoes. I’ve loved them for years. I used to collect sneakers, but on a very low budget. There were so many shoes out there that I wanted, but I never had the money as a kid, especially going into my early 20s. The idea for Mallet London came to me when I was 23. I was at a photoshoot one day, wearing a pair of slip-ons that were worth £600; this was around the time shoes started getting really expensive. For me, I wanted to create something that I could wear every day that was still affordable and had a luxury feel to it. It literally just went from there, with me using a pen and paper to create a pair of one-off shoes, to then linking up with my business partner [Evren Ozkarakasli] and creating a brand out of the idea. From then on, we’ve gone on to build something that I think still speaks to my younger self. We’re delivering something that is of good quality, affordable, and on-trend. So yeah, that’s how the brand started and has developed, and now we’re in some of the best stores in the world alongside all those expensive shoes I used to want to buy.

Give us a bit of background on who Tommy Mallet is and where he’s coming from. Tell us about your climb to the top. 

I’m not gonna lie: everything since 2014 has been a bit of a blur. I didn’t set out to do any of this stuff. I left school with no qualifications and tried a load of different things that I failed at. It wasn’t until I was 21 or 22 and I had a few offers to do different things that I went down the reality TV route. That’s when I really got my teeth into what was going on around me. I was on the show for about six or seven months when I realised I wanted to get something out of it, rather than being another one of those reality-type guys. From then on, I’ve just had this mad hunger to smash whatever I do. From 2014 to now, we have stores all around the world, and you can’t even ask how I got there because all I know is consistency throughout. I’ve never had any design training; I’m self-taught. But by learning everything myself, combined with my ADHD, I’ve been able to train myself in a way that works in my favour. My original design technique was just unbelievable. It took me two years to learn. I worked every single day for three hours on a tablet, which ultimately led me to where I am now. Today, I can design, run a business, and also speak to PR and marketing to some extent. It’s been a mad eight years, and I just haven’t stopped. I look back at TOWIE now and it feels like a lifetime ago, but it isn’t really. So much has happened, man.

Who and what were you inspired by during the brand’s early days?

I’m the inspiration! I wanted to live in a world where I had access to all the good stuff that everyone around me had, but I didn’t really have the resources to get them. With Mallet London, I wanted to create something that could be worn and bought affordably, and to sit in a gap that didn’t really exist. I’m into big brands, but ones that have been around my whole life. They’re the sort of labels that I look at and aspire to be like. I’m not about catwalks and looking cool—that’s not what I’m here for. I’m here for my little boy and him growing up with a brand that can keep going. 

How has the brand evolved since Mallet London’s first release?

Since its launch, more and more people have joined us, but for the first two years, we operated with just three staff members, and until 2018, we had only four. Even in the past two months, there has been so much change, it’s been a whirlwind. Although I usually don’t look back and focus on moving forward, with the help I’ve received for my ADHD, I’ve started to reflect on how far we’ve come. At our party in Paris last January, I was truly amazed. I used to focus on what’s next, rather than where we are now. Looking back, we never had any structure in the business. I would sketch something on a piece of paper, fly to a factory, make the product, get the shoe, and then release it. We didn’t have any PR until last year, so it’s only now that the brand is really taking off. All in all, we’re heading in the right direction, and it’s important to maintain that quality and message moving forward. 

“It’s important that I spread the message that ADHD isn’t something to be ashamed of. I mean, I’m 30 now, and I’d like to think I’ve done well for myself and have helped a lot of people along the way.”