When I started this newsletter, I really enjoyed covering emerging brands, great golf apparel and in general… golf things I like.
I love Malbon, but I’ve always left Malbon off the list because everyone talks about Malbon.
They’re pretty much the gold standard of new age golf apparel, so it felt BORING to write about them.
But then of course, I start writing about them, and I have so much to say.
Because they’re just. so. good.
Fashion before golf? I think so.
So here we are, building a Christmas list chock full of Malbon and various other brands that I choose not to name bc THIS ONE ISN’T ABOUT THEM.
Malbon makes great polos, sure. But a polo is a polo for the most part.
IMO, they’ve made their mark with the way they’ve partnered with major brands, built exclusivity around items, and gotten really creative with the layers: good sweaters, cardigans, jackets, shooter shirts, quarter zips, fleeces, you name it.
I view them as a fashion brand even more so than I see them as a “golf apparel” brand.
So much of their new stuff is designer quality.
Telling me this is JUST A GOLF BRAND? I don’t think so.
The Brand
Founded by Stephen and Erica Malbon in 2017, this was a lifestyle brand influenced by golf — not simply a gOlF aPpAreL brand.
Sorry, nothing wrong with a golf apparel brand. It’s just a limiting category to put Malbon in given what they’re up to.
It’s funny. They didn’t chase the traditional golfer. They built for the new golfer — younger, curious, and more style-conscious than the generation before.
BUT they’re re-introducing some traditional styles in an updated way. Knit sweaters here, cardigans there, pleated pants aplenty.
Say that five times fast.
Pleated pants aplenty, pleated pants aplenty, pleated pants aplenty, pleated pants aplenty, pleated pants aplenty.
Whew, that was a mouthful.
The name of this article should be pleated pants aplenty.
I DIGRESS… this is why they’re winning. They’re blending the traditional and the modern in a way no one else has fully been able to (at scale) in the industry.
The Look
see for yourself
I pulled pics at random, but I think it’s a healthy representation of what you might find, though I left out a good chunk of the performance gear.
That stuff is GREAT, just doesn’t make Malbon… Malbon. In my humble opinion.
fits
The Vibes
Sounds cliche, but there’s an overlooked aspect to why they’ve become successful: community.
When you wear Malbon, you kinda feel like you belong to this group of people who love golf, appreciate fashion, but you’re not a snob, but you ARE socially aware, and DO enjoy a premium product, but you’re still pretty chill???
Lmk if that resonates.
They’ll do a little pop-up in L.A., a cheeky drop, or partner with artists and brands that bridge the gap between golf and culture — so ya, they do all the cool media stuff to bring them the youth, and they partner with industry staples to anchor the credibility for the old heads too.
Like their collab with Werner Bronkhorst, the guy who makes the awesome textured paintings with little people on big canvases.
Didn’t need to do it, but hosted a party and art show with/for him celebrating art + golf.
THAT’S the stuff Malbon is up to.
This is a huge reason I like them. They think beyond just golf. They think beyond just clothes.
Jason Day
They’ve partnered with Jason Day, a former world #1, very cool Australian man.
Out of the top 10 fits seen on the PGA Tour in the past 2 years, Jason Day owns #1-10.
It’s refreshing to see something different out there, and I respect their approach so much. They’re not like, oh here’s a nice polo and some nice pants that we think you might like. Super dry-fit, you can sweat in them, it’s going to be awesome.
No, they get so creative. They get colorful, they step a little outside the lines. Different fabrics, different styles, looser (both literally and figuratively) fits. They put together A WHOLE RAIN SUIT for the man for one of his practice rounds.
I mean what is this…? Is this Terry cloth??
Regardless… it’s GOOD. And how many pleats does a pant need???
More pleats. More more more!
Alas
They’re simply the coolest brand in golf that has scaled to the heights they have.
Some up and comers have a cool factor that might match, but it’s tough to keep up as you grow.
Malbon has entered into the mainstream, but has continued to do things off the beaten path, so I will continue to give them their flowers for innovation and culture and fun and quality and cool.
Good on you guys @ stephen and erica malbon. well done.
Cheers,
Luke Mangan
On Golf