Designer POV:
Coco Fong and Valerio Bava
Designer POV: Coco Fong and Valerio Bava
Meet the newly appointed co-creative directors of Malone Souliers.
In June this year, Mary Alice Malone appointed two integral members of her Design team, Coco Fong and Valerio Bava, as co-creative directors at the sought-after British label. The dynamic duo will work together to build upon the brand’s well-loved aesthetic while putting their own distinctive spin on it. Below, as the pair’s first collection arrives on our shelves, they discuss their new vision and tease a special Level Shoes-exclusive edit.
“We want to express a joint vision that aims to propel the brand forward into exciting new territory.”
What can we expect from Malone Souliers' new vision?
We will be building upon the Malone Souliers' distinctive aesthetic with a particular focus on bold femininity and modernity. We want to express a joint vision that aims to propel the brand forward into exciting new territory.
What can you tell us about your latest collection?
For our AW23 collection, we have been heavily inspired by retro-futurism. We have played with bold silhouettes, ultra-sleek designs and outlandish textures, all to invoke the feeling of otherworldly design.
Do you both have a favourite signature silhouette from the brand?
We love Uma and Perla for their versatility and timeless appeal. We bring them back every season and love exploring new iterations, textures, and materials.
Will you be continuing the brand’s zero-waste approach to production?
Yes, whenever we can, we work with archival leathers and fabrics to reduce waste and give leftover materials a new lease of life. We will also continue working closely with the Leather Working Group to ensure we are sourcing our leather as responsibly as possible.
What was the best lesson you learned working closely with Mary Alice Malone?
Mary Alice Malone has been an incredible support and mentor to us throughout our careers. We admire her desire to always design with the customer in mind. We have learnt to focus on comfort and practicality within our designs, thinking about the end user as much as the style and design itself.
A Level Shoes-exclusive edit is in the works. How would you describe it?
We are very excited to be working with Level Shoes on an upcoming capsule collection. Without revealing too much, this edit will be a glitzy glamorous take on our bestsellers in a warm, elegant colour palette!
What can we expect from Malone Souliers' new vision?
We will be building upon the Malone Souliers' distinctive aesthetic with a particular focus on bold femininity and modernity. We want to express a joint vision that aims to propel the brand forward into exciting new territory.
What can you tell us about your latest collection?
For our AW23 collection, we have been heavily inspired by retro-futurism. We have played with bold silhouettes, ultra-sleek designs and outlandish textures, all to invoke the feeling of otherworldly design.
Do you both have a favourite signature silhouette from the brand?
We love Uma and Perla for their versatility and timeless appeal. We bring them back every season and love exploring new iterations, textures, and materials.
“We want to express a joint vision that aims to propel the brand forward into exciting new territory.”
Will you be continuing the brand’s zero-waste approach to production?
Yes, whenever we can, we work with archival leathers and fabrics to reduce waste and give leftover materials a new lease of life. We will also continue working closely with the Leather Working Group to ensure we are sourcing our leather as responsibly as possible.
What was the best lesson you learned working closely with Mary Alice Malone?
Mary Alice Malone has been an incredible support and mentor to us throughout our careers. We admire her desire to always design with the customer in mind. We have learnt to focus on comfort and practicality within our designs, thinking about the end user as much as the style and design itself.
A Level Shoes-exclusive edit is in the works. How would you describe it?
We are very excited to be working with Level Shoes on an upcoming capsule collection. Without revealing too much, this edit will be a glitzy glamorous take on our bestsellers in a warm, elegant colour palette!
Below, the co-creative directors take us behind the scenes at their London studio and offer a sneak peek at the Level Shoes-exclusive edit including a stunning plexi heel that Beyoncé wore.
From daytime mules to dinner-ready sandals, shop new-season updates from Malone Souliers now.