Attire Accessories - Sep/Oct 2018 (Issue 72)

102 Tell me a bit about how the company started. What was the aim of the label when it was launched? Mala started in 2007 when I saw a gap in the market for something a little bit quirkier for ladies. When I originally started in the industry, the main colours on offer were black, brown and red. More colours were gradually entering the market, but little details were lacking. The business was set up with my husband, who supported the family financially in the first few years before he left his job to join the business full time. The name Mala comes from the Irish for bag. As I am from Dublin, I wanted a name that would give me a link back to home and hopefully bring the luck of the Irish while we tried to build the business. How were the initial products developed, and what was the response? There was a limited product offering for the first few years. As a stock- holding business, the initial investment is so high, and we had no customers, so we had to be careful what we spent. Mala was a new brand, and a lot of retailers would not try us because they already had an established supplier base. Over time as the range grew, our customer base grew. It is always satisfying to hear our customers say how much they like our product and the quality that we provide. What challenges were overcome when the company was starting out? One of the biggest challenges we faced was establishing a reliable “The name Mala comes from the Irish for bag. As I am from Dublin, I wanted a name that would give me a link back to home and hopefully bring the luck of the Irish while we tried to build the business.”