Maurice Malone Plans 40th Anniversary Celebrations
Maurice Malone is marking off a milestone this year.
On Feb. 15, the Brooklyn-based creative director and owner of the eponymous label and founder of the Williamsburg Garment Company will celebrate 40 years since launching his first clothing company, Hardwear by Maurice Malone.
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Maurice Malone in his own jeans adorned with metal plates on the knees, 1980s.
From pioneering the urban streetwear niche and playing a leading role in bringing urban brands into department stores in the ’90s to developing a method that artificially aged jeans in the early aughts, Malone has left his mark on all aspects of the denim industry.
“My philosophy in doing things is to grow the roots deep before growing too fast upward and outward. Otherwise, without a strong foundation, things can easily be toppled. So I have always approached things in the long run; I have always expressed my desire for my brand to outlast me,” Malone told Rivet. “I consider my 40-year anniversary the celebration of yet another milestone in an ongoing story.”
In honor of his journey, the designer and his team are organizing a series of exhibits and events across the U.S. and perhaps the world—including his hometown of Detroit—later this year to showcase the evolution of Malone and his brands.
“Even though my actual anniversary is Feb. 15, we figured Detroit’s too cold [right now] so we want to kick off everything in the summer when it’s warm and easy to get people to go out and see things,” he said. “If somebody from Japan said ‘Hey, I would like to do that thing here in Japan,’ I’m pretty sure we’ll consider it [as] we’re big in Japan and Europe.”
Malone’s 40th arrives during a peak time for archival designs as young consumers continue to reference the ’80s and ’90s for style cues. The celebration will culminate this fall in a collection featuring modern reinterpretations of Malone’s classic designs, such as the Blade Runner jean and Da Fro’s jockey jersey. The collection will also offer tracksuit, some hoodies and fleeces as well as accessories like gloves and socks.
While young designers are into baggy and loose fits, Malone said its not for everyone.
“We still have to do some stuff for people that aren’t deeply into fashion trends,” Malone said, noting his vintage styles are popular on resale sites. “So, we’re also going to do some regular, basic fitting styles and a couple more mainstream fits. There’s a few pieces I’m sneaking in.”
On top of the festivities, the Maurice Malone website will be updated to function as an all-inclusive resource for denim heads and researchers alike to learn more about Malone’s illustrious career. So far, 30 percent of the digital archive is complete, presenting a visually rich history of the CFDA nominee’s impact on denim, with news stories and achievements spanning four decades.
“We’re telling a story. We’re coming back, so let’s put a foundation out on the history of the brand,” Malone said of the digital archive. “Let’s introduce the brand to younger consumers so it can be more respected, more appreciated.”
