About Ozone
The Story Behind Laurie Mallet
It would be hard for Laurie Mallet to grow up in Paris, the fashion capital of the world, without developing an incredible sense of style. Her mother predicted fashion trends and fashion colors for large corporations. Her step-father was a well known artist.
After her graduation from Institut d’etudes Politiques (Sciences Po) she came to New York and fell in love with the city. This is where she knew fashion would be her calling. In 1976 she took her five thousand dollars savings, went to India, created Williwear and turned it into a forty million dollar fashion empire. As owner, president and CEO of Williwear she, with her design partner Willi Smith, changed the world of fashion in the 1980s. She developed an incredibly successful brand by combining her love of fashion and art.
She forged an alliance between the brand and well known artists and
designers. Williwear’s fashion shows, press parties, uniquely designed offices and showrooms are still talked and written about today. Last year the Cooper Hewitt museum curated an exhibition and published a book about Williwear.
Laurie opened headquarters in New York, Paris, and London achieving an international awareness and acceptance of Williwear‘s innovative designs. After Willi’s demise, she took on the Pressman of Barney’s as partners. The brand was eventually sold to TJ Max.
In 1997 she bought the sock company E.G. Smith and introduced a highly successful line of fashion socks. But still desirous of developing a brand and a look that would set her apart from all other sock manufacturers in 2000 she sold E.G. Smith back to Eric Smith and founded Ozone Design Inc.
The rest is history.
Ozone the Company
Laurie founded ozone design in 2000. She strongly believed that socks were
one of the only items untouched by fashion.
"Ozone Design is devoted entirely to putting fashion and fun into socks and tights. Amazingly, they were still looked upon as undergarments." Laurie’s goal was to bring spirit and passion to one of the most intimate and neglected parts of our wardrobe. "For too long the sock has been ignored by the world of fashion and we’re going to change that."
During the past twenty years Ozone has set the benchmarks for what’s cool
and hip in footwear. "There have been more innovative and new design concepts that have come out of Ozone than any other sock company in history." The list is impressive: shoe socks, safe sox, radionic socks, tattoo socks, fun socks etc…
Laurie still has her heart embedded in the art world. Ozone makes socks for many of the world’s famous museums. Laurie worked closely with Christo during The Gates project and developed the highly successful "Gates sock" sold during the event.
Ozone socks are sold around the world and through a network of museums, specialty stores, gift stores etc...
A Vogue article sums it up:
"When Mallet talks about her dreams for socks, people often ask her what all the fuss is about. Most of the time no one can see your socks anyway. 'Fashion is something you do for yourself', says Mallet. 'Of course, when other people get a glimpse, that is exciting. But I prefer the idea that socks are your secret weapon.'"
Sock Manufacturers From Around The World
Ozone’s unique socks are all produced from one of our three mills in Japan, Colombia, and France. Wholesale socks are sold around the world and through a network of two thousand stores in America. We have styles for every occasion including sheers, novelty socks, dress socks, knee highs, over the knees and florals for both men and women. Join our sock of the month club and you’ll find a pair of Ozone’s fun socks every month in your mailbox. Over $250 worth of socks for a fration of the price with free shipping!
