FASHION 

Inside Malgré-Lui: An Attitude in Leather and Silver

In the luxury realm, London and Paris coexist as the capitals of fashion enthusiasm, shaping our perception of quality and garment standards. Within a saturated market, it is refreshing to unveil the label Malgré-Lui, a young designer bringing a rebellious style of combining leather and sterling silver. From heavily engraved silver letter openers to architecturally infused belt buckles and raw leather gilets, this brand is fusing two significant cities, referencing London for boldness and Paris for the structure. These garments are made for a lifetime.

Nathan Aflalo-Benhalima entered the low-lit hotel bar with an abundance of energy, walking in his Azure Circuit leather jacket defined in sharp blue symmetry and metal zippers, a heavily adorned silver Seahorse 2 Cuba chain, and attitude. Flicking through the drinks menu, Nathan shared news of a tattoo-inked portrait of his mother prior to our meeting. This spoke volumes about his free-spirited mind and creative curiosity. Lifting his cup of tea, the silver ring’s 3D design flickered through the candlelit red-walled room.

 

Tell us about yourself… 

I’m Nathan Aflalo Benhalima. I was born in Paris and moved to London nine years ago. Malgré-Lui grew organically and sits at the intersection of leather and sterling silver, with a strong focus on structure and longevity.

Has the movement between countries shaped the brand story?

Definitely. In Paris, the architecture is very structured, symmetrical, balanced and has a lot of artistic mouldings. London on the other hand is more rough, it’s got grit, contrast colour, fun and bold.

The approach I like to take when I design is to always rely on structure because that’s what makes it timeless but also welcome bold luxury by using colours. 

What was the tipping point for beginning your brand? 

It didn’t start off with fashion but me liking nice things and being curious about how they are made and to do it myself.

To give you an example, in high school I used to customise my dress code which led me to design our leavers hoodies. It wasn’t successful, but it taught me a lot and pushed me to keep refining my eye. I continued to make things outside of school and then I found an aesthetic I liked so much I knew I could build a brand around, that was the turning point.

What was your first official creation under the label?

The belt. I’ve not made one since and have been trying to make one for two years now and I can’t because it is so hard. I always come back to working on it. 

Is it difficult to understand and manage the materiality of silver when it comes to your creations?

Due to the process it’s made naturally there are certain difficulties. For example, when casting a piece you have to sprue the design at certain spots which might interfere with the final design.

What is your brand signature?

I want people to recognise a piece as Malgré-Lui without seeing the name — through structure, symmetry, and the dialogue between leather and silver.

For designers, it can be quite hard to reach the point you’re really passionate and understand your brand name. Malgré-Lui translates to in spite of himself, tell us more. 

The name isn’t about me. I want the brand to exist independently.‘Malgré-Lui’ is about attitude — doing something instinctively, despite context or expectation.

Do you want the consumer to walk with this attitude when wearing your products?

To me, fashion is a mean through which you show what you like, your interests. A way of showing appreciation for the things you like. It’s part of culture. 

It’s not about wearing something and showing off with it. It’s about wearing it because it is you. You’re wearing that jacket or ring because it is so much you, so you that you wear it and you don’t even notice it. It’s within you. 

 

Who is the ideal consumer of your products and is the long-term relation important?

I don’t aim to sell luxury items to a lot of people. I intend to sell thousands of items to a small number of people that truly get the brand. I’d rather create meaningful pieces for a small group of people who genuinely connect with the work and understand how and why it’s made. If you are buying yourself a jacket you understand the product was made in London, why it was designed in such a way the hardware, lining and trims.

Whatever the item is there is a story behind it and I like to talk to the people who buy the stuff to explain the story behind the item. They are not even clients, they are part of the brand and on the same level as me.

It’s not intended for any gender or specific person. My mother wears four rings, very big rings. She wears the gaufrettes more than I do. You can see the models I use range from a 17 year old kid to a 70 year old grandpa, from girls to guys it doesn’t matter, it’s about attitude.

What challenges are you currently facing and is it hard to create new ideas? 

In a world where most things already exist, originality in design remains personal. If you believe you have something worth saying, you have to put it out.

The challenge is being a new luxury brand and to make people understand what you are about without them having it in person. It is hard to be all over the world just like that. It takes time.

We have four stockists. The goal is to have in person spaces all around the world for people to see.

 

Tell me about the Glam Weekendr Bag?

Remember what I said about structure.

With this piece we have a very structural and symmetrical design. Now look at the red patent, leopard and the hardware leather I use. The piece shows exactly how I like to use structure and boldness in the design. The structure is a very classic duffle bag that I elongated. Usually they are 45 cm but this is 60 cm so that’s a long weekend of three or four days without making the height any taller. 

 

There are plenty of buildings that inspire me. For example, this wallet chain I’ve got here now. I was looking for mouldings to incorporate into my designs and I saw that trefoil on the church just behind Marylebone high street. 

I try to show oxidation and the shine shows the two sides of silver and you can see it here with the line and checkered design. 

What is the future for the brand and next 10 years?

I would very much like to have physical spaces. I’d love to start with London, Paris and then the states as we notice a very active need for the products over there. 

 

Nathan Aflalo Benhalima’s journey to Malgré-Lui invites reflection on the wardrobe as an extension of personality. This is not a label to be consumed but an attitude. Every inch is considered, driven by architectural influence, thoughtful craftsmanship, and bold expressions of colour or even leopard print. 

 

Interview for this story was conducted on 23rd January, 2026. With gratitude to Nathan Aflalo Benhalima. 

Links:Malgré-Lui.com