Written by Menswear Style in Interviews on the 17th September 2024

Disciplined, Dedicated and a Rationalist. Evren Ozka has long had a strategic eye for business, starting his professional career in textiles and manufacturing. At age 18, he ran his division at his family's textile companies for seven years before beginning Mallet London in partnership with Tommy Mallet. They realized a gap in the market - quality-designed shoes at an achievable price point, and the brand evolved from there. Evren is now Founder and Business Director of Mallet London and spends his time between London and Dubai.

Mallet London has played a central role in blurring the lines between sportswear and luxury. Since its launch in 2015, there have been many significant milestones for Evren, all relative to the size and age of the journey. Standout moments for him include the brand's first wholesale order, which was from an independent luxury store, followed by getting stocked in Selfridges and Harrods, then Saks Fifth Avenue in New York and their most recent collaboration with Transport for London (TfL).

Evren Ozka finds no better feeling than seeing people out and about wearing Mallet London. Since expanding to the Middle East, he has noticed an appetite for European brands in the region, especially those in the premium and luxury markets. With the ever-growing fashion scene where consumers take pride in their style, he believes that Mallet London’s unique designs will resonate with the people of the Middle East. 

“I currently live in both London and Dubai. We started the brand 10 years ago and I would describe the brand as an accessible luxury brand. We have a large footprint over in Dubai. We’re in a lot of luxury stores and we’re really excited about that part of the world. I try to spend 2 weeks in London and then 2 weeks in Dubai – it depends on the season and juggling my time can be a little difficult.”

This is a shortened transcribed edit of episode 224 of the MenswearStyle Podcast with Evren Ozka, Co-Founder of luxury footwear brand mallet.com. You can listen to the full version on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast player.

We interview Evren Ozka of Mallet London about his luxury brand, footwear, sneakers and operating in Dubai and London.