FASHION
Designer Malman Bringing a Motor-Inspired Fashion House To Salon Privé
BY VANESA KRIZONYTE
Venezuelan racing driver Manuel Maldonado’s fashion house, Malman, is bridging two worlds that rarely co-exist, motorsport and fashion. Established in 2023, the brand honours automotive heritage not simply as an inspirational lens, but part of life. The collections are designed for everyday wear, comfort and movement from the racing track to a dinner in the city.
For the 21st edition of Salon Privé, Malman was announced as the first official merchandise collection. Set in the Oxfordshire Blenheim Palace grounds, guests gathered to witness a showcase of pre-war icons to state-of-the-art hypercars. An environment of revving engines, polished tyres flickering, exposed traditional tweed, lacquered wood, and futuristic mechanics. Malman’s display included quarter-zips, personalised keyrings, and corduroy caps offering ‘wearable memorabilia’ of the historic luxury car event.
From a visit to the London Malman showroom to the exhibit on Oxford grounds, Malman translates automotive excellence into fashion.
What was the moment you realised the desire to fuse the worlds of motorsport and fashion?
Manuel Maldonado: I’ve been racing since I was eight years old in the UK and Europe. A lot of the time, you have to wear your team’s merchandise, heavily covered in logos. So if you like fashion, there is not a lot of freedom on the race track.
I thought it would be cool to see a fashion brand that has the core of motorsport racing and vintage cars, but adding elements of what I do into a brand. I didn’t want to do merchandise just to be known for a name or team. It was about creating something you can wear when you go into the races – something people recognise as fashion.
Is Malman intended to be worn for racing or an off-duty and travelling look?
We’ve created two collections. One is called the Malman Collection, which is more casual, relaxed, and can be worn anywhere – from T-shirts and hoodies to caps.
The Chevron Collection is a higher-end collection, including suede jackets and duffle bags. They’re more premium products that I like to see people wearing on the weekend, somewhere away or in London going for dinner or something. It can be worn in both scenarios, whether you are going to F1, Le Mans, or just here in London for a car meet-up.
We’ve also created a cool accessory, which is a bracelet inspired by a very famous car. At Malman, we do offer some personalisation and you can add your initials on the jackets corner.
How does your lived experience in racing influence the collections compared to a designer who does not have first-hand memories?
Since I was young, I always wanted to personalise all my racing attire, changing it and creating some kind of design.
Everyone goes and buys the same racing boots and gloves, so they all look identical. Seven years ago, I bought myself a heat press machine, and I was at home adding my name or logo to everything. It went from having a conversation with one of my teammate’s fathers saying, ‘Why don’t you start doing a clothing brand because you always seem to put your name on something?’ to thinking of how to make it work.
That’s where it all started. I wanted to create something different from what everyone else is wearing. A lot of brands have collaborated with a race team or done some sort of line, but Malman wasn’t made for racing people.
It sounds like you are a driver with a bit of a fashion personality.
I do think there is a segment of people who want something race-related but are not going to wear racing merchandise. I myself wouldn’t want to wear merchandise to an event, but I will definitely wear a racing-related design.
The tweed and suede materials within the collections link to vintage car interiors. Was there an intention to create nostalgia?
All the materials and colours have a lot to do with cars and racing. You see suede on car steering wheels because of its durability and comfort. We use tweed because it has a heritage in motorsport. We have done the bracelet in titanium, which is used in cars.
Are some of the red and white details across collections inspired by cigarette packaging?
Yes, there are a few elements that we want to see how far we can push. This is to create the effect of reminders and include something really big in racing culture.
What does it mean to be the first official merchandise for Salon Privé?
Andrew and Phil from Salon Privé were in talks with us for a long time and were trying to see how we could make this work. It has boosted confidence about what we can do now and in the future.
When you go to these sorts of events, you have such a good time, but sometimes you wish you were taking something away from it. The fact that we collaborated with them has been a huge success for us because we are using a well-established brand in the automotive industry to promote ourselves and them in a way we have not done before. We’re excited to go to Blenheim Palace because the crowd comes from all over the world, and it is going to be quite good to see the feedback.
Tell us more about how Malman will create a wearable memory of the event?
I’ve been going to these events. You have such a great time and experience something you’ve never seen before. The collection of cars Salon Privé brings in one place is rare, and that alone is remarkable – anywhere from the classics to ultra-modern. Just to be there and take it all in is really good. You can take one of our products from the collaboration and remember it.
It creates an incentive when you are wearing one of the products: ‘Oh, you have been to Salon Privé before.’ That is a conversation starter. That is what we mean by taking a moment from the event.
We want something with a quality that you can wear for a long time. The motorsport industry is going to ever grow, and we want to build a brand people will wear and resonate with.
Fashion is a reflection of personality. Beginning with a heat press machine, Maldonado’s designs have now found their place among the world’s most significant automotives. Malman is creating a community of motorsport insiders and outsiders who share the same passion and energy.
Generally speaking, merchandise sold at events can hold a transactional feeling, often to be worn once and then forgotten. Malman offers authentic apparel to be worn, kept and remembered. From the aroma of premium-grade goat leather to personalised initial engravings, every detail reflects heritage and commitment to craftsmanship.
Scattered across the lawns of Salon Privé, we share the most remarkable sightings of Malman…
“ I feel elegant, smart, comfortable, and quite stylish.” – Harry from Front of House Team
“ I’m so confident right now. I was an introvert before I came to Malman.” – Ben Wheeler
“ Do what you do best. Manuel does racing best and brought it into a brand. Everything has a meaning to it and a story, which is cool because people love stories.” – Tommy Millar
“ Following a nine-year restoration, the Mercedes is the same as the original. I’ve attended Salon Privé every year for 20 years and it feels great to be back.” – Alan Carrington.
Deepest gratitude to Manuel Maldonado founder of Malman for the warm press invitation. Thank you to Salon Privé for hosting the 21st edition. Thank you to Jude Black for incredible photography support. And thank you to the guests for sharing their stories. Published September, 2026.
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