Notes from a Culture Guru’s Diary

How does Malene B introduce Aboriginal Art, Savannah’s landscape, the footsteps of a Mombasa elephant and turn them into something wonderfully stylish to compliment your lifestyle?

Well, here’s how it all began… Flashback 1980: Imagine a cheeky, bright-eyed-big-smiling, Connecticut raised, Afro-Caribbean girl at about 8 years old; naturally curious, learning to bake, helping her mother redecorate and gravitating to the brightest colors in the Crayola Crayon box, being placed into a gifted students art class to paint and draw…its’ a definitive moment; a match only heaven could make. Fast forward: It’s summer 1995, she’s spent the year at The Fashion Institute of Technology studying Textile and Surface Design. Classes are done for the semester and Malene is invited to take her first trip to Ghana, West Africa. The experience was so awe-inspiring, she decides from that instant on her designs would share a common thread -- their backstory would have roots nourished from cultural influences. After graduating with honors from FIT, she went on to work for Nourison, as its first In-House Designer, creating those Rooster accent rugs you find sold at retailers, Macy’s and Bed, Bath & Beyond…cock-a-doodle-doo!

Deciding it was time for new adventures, Malene takes a break from the day-to-day rat race and cornrows her hair, throws a few daishiki’s into a backpack and goes on a three month solo tour of Southeast Asia. She travels the countryside, meets its people, eats local food, learns a new language and experiences the things she loves most about the world-- art, music, history, rituals and celebrations, adding yet more amazing stories to her expanding diary.

Back stateside, living in Harlem with a go-get-it attitude, barnyard designs behind her and with the loving encouragement of family and friends, she opts to take her passion and turn it into a bonafide business, thus the Malene B brand was born.

Taking her love and expertise, she funnels them into creating a collection that transports you to faraway places to experience other ways of living and seeing the world. Her first carpet collection, now her Signature group, has offerings like Mehndi, inspired from a trip to India where her hands were its inspiration, as they were henna painted for a friends wedding. And, Bangkok, the carpets namesake has you trading fruits and veggies on a floating market. There’s Bahia, inspired by the rich texture of coconut skin and St. Vincent, which refreshingly turns any space into the Caribbean Sea.

In 2009, Interior Design Magazine would publish the first article on Malene B Carpets and started her on whirlwind of press, projects and events. Since that pivotal moment, L’Official has featured Beyonce on its cover with a Malene B Carpet, as its backdrop; a boutique hotel in Mauritus, orders custom carved carpets that look like rock formations and Malene appears as a guest on, The Nate Berkus Show. These are followed by a featured TedX talk; hosting a walking tour of her brownstone on LXTV: Open House; and appearing as a panelist on the Morning Joe with Tory Burch, Valerie Jarrett and Ariana Huffington to discuss women entrepreneurship.

From her travels, Malene has developed a strong sense of social responsibility and become a supporter of GoodWeave, a non-profit organization whose mission is to end child labor and help artisans in developing countries. And, along the way she forged a successful partnership with Surya, a leading textile manufacturer who produces her Destination and Voyages Collections, expressly for their clients.

Now, ready to let her creativity soar to new heights, Malene has decided, it wasn’t enough to simply make gorgeous rugs, so she’s turned her talents towards creating jaw-dropping patterned cement tiles, wall paper, pillows and sexy+cool decorative objects. From her colorful Caribbean inspired home studio in Brooklyn, Malene has introduced more than 25 designs in 5 distinct collections since opening her doors in the Spring of 2009. And, with the help of talented collaborators, the team burns the midnight oil as they problem solve and tackle creating a brand new assortment of fabulously chic home + lifestyle products

Today, with her carpets being sold in a New York retail store and also available online, Malene is well positioned to release her long anticipated lifestyle collection, titled SION HILL; a loving tribute to her mother’s homeland the island of St. Vincent and the Caribbean experience. In Spring 2015 customers will be able to fill their homes with parrots, lizards the Soufriere plant, fishnets and of course the sea, which all lend their influence to a collection that brings the best of island living to your front door…but, without leaving a trail of sand in its wake.

And, in 2016, Malene will launch a new carpet collection with Kravet introducing more exciting products for home and office. A lot has happened throughout the years for the cheeky, brighteyed-big-smiling, Connecticut raised, Afro-Caribbean girl. Stay tuned to see more from Malene B, as she adds new notes to her Culture Guru Diary. Malene B lives and creates in Brooklyn, NY.

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