Exclusive: Tommy Mallet Talks New Shoe Brand, Finding Spirituality After Experiencing Loss & Why He Left Mallet London
After eight years at the creative helm of his eponymous brand Mallet London, Tommy Mallet is ready for something new.
The 31-year-old entrepreneur and reality star, who’s real last name is Fordham, made the announcement on social media last week that he was stepping away from his role at Mallet London, leaving his 1.1 million Instagram followers wondering, “Where has Tommy gone?”
“I’ve done all I set out to accomplish with this brand, and I’m forever grateful for what I’ve learnt and who I’ve met along the way,” Mallet wrote on Instagram. “I love you all involved (even the ones I’ve been in legal battles with) because without you I wouldn’t be who I am today and wouldn’t be prepared for what’s in front of me in my journey!”
Now, in an exclusive interview with FN, Mallet has revealed that he is stepping out on his own to launch a brand-new shoe company. “I have something that’s going to change the game forever,” Mallet declared while “bursting with excitement” on a Zoom call with FN. “It’s not normal. It’s f***ing insane.”
Called CTRNE, Mallet describes his new self-funded company as a “spiritual sneaker brand,” which gets its name from the citrine crystal. Known as the “success stone,” citrine is believed to bring wealth, prosperity, and success, while also revitalizing the mind and promoting creativity, he said.
Each pair of CTRNE sneakers features a one-inch thick citrine crystal embedded in the sole that goes straight through the shoe, connecting the wearer’s foot with the ground. “There’s nothing stopping the natural energy going through that crystal into the main pressure point of your foot,” Mallet said—pointing out the shoe’s key design detail. “So, you’re not only absorbing the energy coming through the ground, but you’re also gaining the benefits from these thousand-year-old crystals, which aim to bring you prosperity. These are a wearable manifestation tool. That’s why the company’s mantra and word mark is ‘Step into Abundance.’”
Other key design elements from the inaugural CTRNE shoe include insoles that are sprayed with a citrus-blended fragrance for an aromatherapy-like experience and a unique toweling material used on the interior of the shoe – intended to bring comfort to those wishing not to wear socks.
The debut collection, which will officially launch in January, will feature seven colorways of one initial sneaker model across both men’s and women’s sizes. More models and colorways are expected to drop throughout the year in 2024. A waiting list opens for preorders on Friday, Dec. 1 at Ctrne.com.
According to Mallet, the idea for CTRNE was born out of his need to heal after a year filled with loss. In April, Mallet and his fiancé Georgia Kousoulou made the public announcement that their unborn baby had not survived following Kousoulou’s 12-week check-up. The couple further shared their painful miscarriage journey on the fourth installment of the UK reality show “Georgia & Tommy: Baby Steps” earlier this year.
“My Misses and I lost a child in April, and as we were dealing with the loss, Georgia encouraged me to get some spiritual readings and to go see a psychic as she had been doing for some time,” Mallet said. “And when I finally did it, the psychic told me that my destiny was elsewhere, and that the best was yet to come in my career.”
Mallet said that as he got more and more into his spirituality, he was seeking to cut out stress and bring peace into his life – which ultimately led him to discovering the power of crystals. “I started carrying a citrine crystal with me to manifest all of its good benefits,” Mallet said. “And when I was thinking of what my next career move would be, I realized the answer was right in front of me.”
“You know, you’re supposed to do two things when you’re trying to manifest a goal,” Mallet added. “Number one is to think about it in the morning, and number two is to think about it in the evening. So, if you’re wearing my new shoes, you will see the crystal and think of your goal first thing in the morning when you put the sneakers on and in the evening when you take your shoes off. So, this is my crazy concept.”
Asked how he plans to attract consumers who don’t necessarily believe in mindfulness and the power of crystals, Mallet said he isn’t looking to convert anyone into his way of thinking nor to preach to anyone. “I’m not looking to change people’s minds,” Mallet said. “I don’t even want this brand to be massive and distributed in every store. I don’t want to be a part of a massive company anymore. I plan to grow this slowly and with purpose. CTRNE is designed to appeal to those that are looking for wellness or are looking for their next steps in life.”
And as for what happens to Mallet London now that its namesake has left, the company has added new leadership. According to a filing with Companies House in the UK, former Hunter Boots, Jigsaw and Canterbury CEO Christopher Stephenson assumed the position of Mallet London’s director upon Tommy’s exit on Oct. 31. Mallet’s other cofounder Evren Ozka remains at the company.
According to Mallet, he is still part owner in the company he cofounded with Ozka in 2015, retaining 50 percent of the shares in the business. “Mallet is still something I’m proud of, I just wasn’t willing to put a million percent of myself into the company anymore,” Mallet admitted. “And I never thought I’d actually say that until this year.”
Mallet steps away from Mallet London as the company reported total sales of 17.5 million British pounds ($22.1 million based on current exchange) in the year ended Jan. 31, 2023, according to an Oct. 30 filing with Companies House. In the filing, the company said that it saw “significant growth” compared to the prior year across its online, owned retail and international sales channels despite the current macroeconomic climate.
But, as he summed up his new project and outlook on life, Mallet optimistically looked to the future. “I’m basically trying to make sure that this next year is going to be the best year of my life.”