Malne was founded by Paloma Álvarez and Juanjo Mánez, two Spanish fashion artists who, in their own words, may not know how to sew a button, but their understanding of haute couture is unparalleled. The brand is a firm believer in fashion, always vibing at a frequency that looks toward the future.
To get to know Malne well, we also have to look back—just enough to know that Paloma used to hijack and deconstruct her siblings’ clothes to give her dolls a more appropriate look or that Juanjo, banned by his parents, could only draw fashion sketches at night.
They are known to love to debate every fashion topic, such as their favorite color palette, fabric, or garment. Although it is difficult to narrow down mundane commonalities, it is easier to pinpoint that their creativity cannot be stopped.
Since 2002, the pair collaborated on projects where they worked for other designers and magazines. Until 2008, during the recession, they realized that they were making a product with haute couture finishes, and their employers at the time didn’t know how to sell those aspects commercially.
Malne 'De Rerum Natura' collection during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid
Fashion Consciousness
They also got to know women with a common problem by chance. Women who enjoyed an active social life were increasingly afraid of getting to a party and seeing someone wearing the same design.
Paloma and Juanjo identified a common need among women for exclusivity and set out to fulfill it with the brand. In 2016, they established Malne, a brand that champions slow fashion.
It focuses on a sustainable and ethical approach to clothing production that prioritizes quality over quantity. Naturally, Malne is intent on using local production, artisanship, limited-edition collections, and unique pieces, offering a sense of exclusivity that is hard to find elsewhere.
Malne 'De Rerum Natura' collection during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid
On the Nature of Things
The name of Malne’s latest collection is “De Rerum Natura,” or “On the Nature of Things,” a first-century BC didactic poem by the Roman poet and philosopher to explain epicurean philosophy to a Roman audience.
The primary purpose of the work was to free the audience’s mind of the supernatural and the fear of death—and to induct him into a blissful, peaceful state of mind by expounding the philosophical system of Epicurus, whom Lucretius glorifies as the hero of his epic poem. Slyly, the brand stated about their inspiration: “‘In the open air, spread out on clumps of soft grass…’
Maison Malne’s Spring Summer 25 collection proposes epicurean fashion that is also an ode to nature, a path to happiness, and a change of awareness of the consciousness of the universe that surrounds us. For this, natural fabrics such as linen, raffia, and silk have been used, as well as animal prints and floral prints.
Malne 'De Rerum Natura' collection during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid
Soft and Fluid
One fabulous look pairs complex lacy hotpants, a tube top, and a structured blazer in soft dove white. The blazer and top are created in complex textures with wispy feathers and fabric strings that give the illusion of being aerial and pure. But matched with the sexy hotpants, the design is elevated fashion at its best. The shorts combine lace, a matte pair of hotpants, and a belt of silver and crystals that resembles a necklace. Truly, this is a combination of epicurean sex with the virtual hints of the aviary.
Spring and summer are moments when people can spend some leisure time in contact with the open air and space. Contact with the outdoors and the space outside the cities helps us to reconnect with who we are. As the firm reconfirms, “Who we are, what we want, and how to enjoy ourselves in freedom.” For this reason, the garments are soft and fluid but also envelop us in the haute couture and femininity of classic corsetry, lace, and corsets.
Malne remains steadfast in its commitment to creating unique fashion. It upholds the craftsmanship and brilliant handcrafted details that are the hallmarks of Spanish slow fashion, making it a pioneering brand.
