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hodnyl

At first glance, Malcolm Hodnyl appears to embody a myriad of contradictions.

His passion for films clashed with his affinity for fashion, leading him into a career that thrives on both loyalty and vanity. Yet, despite swimming against the tide of mass-scale commercialism, his brand, Hodnyl, has achieved a level of success that few attain in a lifetime. Malcolm's work intersects with some of fashion's biggest names and brands, yet Hodnyl remains fiercely independent, a testament to his unwavering commitment as he once declared, "I'll never sell my name."

Malcolm's journey into fashion took a circuitous route. Raised by a mother who instilled in him a hustler's mentality, Malcolm's early years in Los Angeles were marked by resourcefulness and a knack for salesmanship. Despite dropping out of university, Malcolm pursued basketball, even entertaining dreams of an NBA career. It wasn't until his move to London in 2008 that he found himself managing wardrobe styles for emerging artists, a role that ignited his passion for garment production.

From humble beginnings, Malcolm's vision for Hodnyl began to take shape. Despite setbacks and losses in the early stages, his unwavering commitment to quality propelled him forward. Drawing inspiration from his own instincts and the human form, Malcolm's designs captured attention for their boldness and innovation. Each creation, whether a sleeveless faux leather mini dress or a hoodie with unconventional zippers, reflected his belief that fashion is an expression of individuality and confidence.

Malcolm was rounding out his inaugural collection. Some notable personalities were wearing his creations. Through his connection, Lorenzo got a Jacket from Instagram influencer Yodit Yemane who helped the brand go viral. It would blossom into a prolific relationship.

Remember that Hodnyl didn’t exist yet, but that laid the preliminaries.

Malcolm was known by many in the fashion world. So when Hodnyl launched in July 2018, it did so with the pieces seen by Malcolm’s industry friends and relationships at the center of the collection. It was a smashing success. While Malcolm’s numerous co-signs played a role, his creating ability proved that Hodnyl could thrive.

That carried over to the Second Collection, released in October 2018. Though still typical of a young brand trying to find its footing—there wasn’t much in the way of intricate pieces—the collection did solidify Malcolm’s vision for Hodnyl. The idea was—and remains—clear: Be consistent with quality, Art and beauty with layering. Malcolm has called Hodnyl “The essence of fashion through art” brand. While that’s a new space in the market, it’s also a reference to the modular dressing that Malcolm Hodnyl predicated on interchangeable pieces.

Malcolm’s vision was evident from that Second Collection. Malcolm was learning the ins and outs of production, working with a small team while trying to accommodate increased demand. As a result, he decided not to rush collections.

That patience paid off, as Hodnyl came into its own after the Third Collection. By 2020, the brand had a distinct aesthetic and pedigree, with stock lists like Selfridges—which, at the time, was a huge deal. The production, too, was getting better. While Malcolm had once contented himself with using one manufacturer to up the luxe factor, he was now sourcing fabrics in Italy and France. But, on the other hand, Malcolm was also making a savvy move to make his clothing more accessible as Hodnyl was moving into the bona fide luxury brand territory.

While selling thousand-dollar jackets at Selfridges was excellent, it was important for Hodnyl that there be accessible options for his people. “I wanna be where my people can go see me and be proud of me.”

By 2021, Hodnyl had become a veritable force in both womenswear and menswear—at both the luxury and mass-market levels. Moreover, Malcolm Hodnyl had more than just the right connections; he had five increasingly solid—and broad—collections under his belt, a slew of partnerships that made financial sense but also helped turn Hodnyl into an accessible cultural entity.

While by no means the end of Hodnyl run, it represents a pinnacle—the culmination of everything Malcolm has been working towards since he first set out to find some manufacturer that could create the high-end art level of quality he inspired. Many consider Malcolm Hodnyl to be the gold standard for brands soon. Still, it’s even more remarkable that Malcolm has gone from working in a stock room to working with some of the world's most revered womenswear labels without formal training. It’s another apparent contradiction—something that doesn’t quite make sense, but that Malcolm has managed to make work thanks to his eye, his will, his desire and—fittingly—his Hodnyl.

The brand now gets ready for its next challenge New York Fashion Week 2022, where it will exhibit its first high-end collection on one of the most elevated runways in the world.

From there, Malcolm dug into fashion and began working on a handful of other pieces that he felt were missing from the womenswear industry. Malcolm believes that he is one of the best young designers when it comes to womenswear. While still not a classically-trained fashion designer, nor does he come from an industrial design or architecture background like some of his contemporaries. Instead, he lets fashion and the human body speak to him. Take the sleeveless faux leather mini dress, which got submitted for one of the best dresses of 2017. When designers, journalists and influencers asked Malcolm the idea behind the dress, his answer baffled everyone: "I just understand a woman's sex appeal and confidence”.  In Malcolm’s eyes, Fashion isn’t something that you calculate. Instead, it's something that comes from the heart and looks like it’s a way to allow the beauty of people to shine—something he perhaps learns from having such confidence in himself. The piece became part of the foundation of what would become Hodnyl.

Malcolm took the profits he made to fund production. The first piece he ever created in 2016 was a hoodie with zippers on the sleeves. Malcolm's first step was to find the proper high-end manufacturer. Unfortunately, it’s also a place where a young entrepreneur who knows nothing about the industry is more likely to be taken advantage of; Malcolm lost tens of thousands of dollars to factories and individuals who promised him specific fabrics and patterns. But, for Malcolm, quality is everything, and he kept taking a chance, hoping to find the proper manufacturer. Malcolm has always been driven by the belief that “what he was building was much bigger than losing a few thousand on taking risks. The dream was much bigger than the losses.

In an industry where conventional wisdom often falls short, Malcolm has carved a unique path to success, redefining modern fashion on his own terms.

Malcolm got his creative mind from his mother, who named him Hodnyl. She used to say, “My son will become an NBA player,” so she wanted to name him O'Neal. However, the name wasn’t original enough for her; her son had to have a name like no others. So she called him Malcolm Hodnyl, which was Malcolm’s actual first name until he removed his last name. Without knowing it, she was the first domino to create a brand loved by millions.