| Maurice
Malone
 aurice
Malone has spent nearly 20 years in the fashion and entertainment
business and I can honestly say that I have grown to respect his
talent with each passing season. Since the age of 18, when his career
goals centred around being a filmmaker and special effects’ artist
in Hollywood, Mr Malone has almost covered the full spectrum of
design starting with his first collection a line of clothing inspired
by the emerging hip-hop music scene. In 1995, after closing down
his first company, he created the MOJEANS
line, a men’s line featuring beautifully crafted men’s suits, and
was subsequently nominated for the CFDA’s
Perry Ellis Menswear Designer of the Year Award. Since last year,
Mr Malone has steered his company and talents in a new and exciting
direction: upscale and elegant separates for men and women, with
a healthy dose of stylized denim wear thrown in for good measure.
The line, particularly the womenswear collection, has a sexy, playful,
sophisticated æsthetic that works well with his stated plan
to ‘create a monster women’s line with a tailored men’s influence
while smashing together the atoms of men’s sportswear and tailored
looks to come up with a creature that would almost make you forget
that [he] did jeans.’
The new ‘Maurice Malone’ line is everything he
says it is and more, even the new higher price. Although he has
evolved beyond jeans, he did show a few pieces in his signature
antique wash  treatment.
I enjoyed the ’60s–modern take-off of his black cashmere three-quarter-length
coat over a blue and white jacquard pattern button down shirt (and
burnt orange silk tie). His combo navy button-down shirt paired
with a fitted flat front pant is definitely one for those gym bunnies
out; and his iridescent brown wool pinstripe mid-length coat was
a true classic in the making. Mr Malone handily executed his menswear
designs with a sure hand, and all indications are there that, given
time and space, he will display an equal confidence with his womenswear
pieces.
First out of the gate for the women were his blue
single-breasted wool blazer paired with a matching flat front pencil
pant. I thought his tailored grey pinstripe wool pleated dress was
rather flirty, and his silver jersey tube skirt (paired with a white–grey
button-down collared shirt) was adventurous. He showed some leg
with his wool diamond-patterned, silver square skirt; and found
his black satin stretch shirt dress and fitted black shadow tuxedo
jacket (with matching pant with satin stripe) to be rather charming.
Of course, he’s on a learning curve here, so not
everything was an immediate success, per se. While I thought his
idea of using the tuxedo shirt (in black and white cotton) as a
skirt—with all that it entails (sleeves, front ruffles, collars)—was
an inspired way of differentiating himself from the rest of the
pack, others thought differently. (Hey, it’s the fashion biz where
everyone has an opinion that matters above all others.) With these
pieces, he demonstrated that he wasn’t afraid of trying something
new to stretch himself creatively. This collection, after everything
have been said and done, was a strong one; and Mr Malone is poised
to come back with even stronger and more creative designs for his
spring 2005 show in September.
Pieces from the line are now on sale at Saks Fifth
Avenue (New York, NY; Beverly Hills,
Calif., Bal Harbor, Fla.), Macy’s (New York, NY),
Atrium (New York, NY), Fred Segal
(Santa Monica, Calif.), and other fine stores.
CONTINUED
The line has a
sexy, playful, sophisticated æsthetic that works with his plan to
‘create a monster women’s line with a tailored men’s influence while
smashing together the atoms of men’s sportswear and tailored looks
to make you forget that [he] did jeans’
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Phillip
D. Johnson reviews the fall–winter 2004–5 collections
from Maurice Malone, Multi by Bree, Bahar Korcan, Raika D., Gustavo
Arango, Chaiken and Cynthia Steffe
@