I met Maria Malo in late 2020 in Bali, while I was still settling in and understanding the beauty of the chaos of this unique country. Maria was reassuring, supportive, and very understanding and she quickly became one of my first and closest friends on the island. From the moment we connected, I found myself captivated by her endless stories—it felt as though she had lived a dozen lifetimes, each filled with lessons, adventures, and wisdom.

Maria has a unique way of turning her experiences into profound life teachings. She’s not just a storyteller; she’s a guide who shares insights on overcoming challenges, observing life with intention, and learning from the past to grow into a better version of oneself. Her presence is inspiring and grounding, and meeting her during such a pivotal time in the world was nothing short of a gift.

Originally born in Madrid, Maria Malo pursued a degree in environmental science before heading south to settle on Spain’s picturesque coast. Her passion for design led her to establish Mala Mujer, a fashion brand that thrived for 14 years, reaching over 300 stores in Spain and gaining distribution across Europe. Known for its distinctive style, the brand established Maria as a creative force in the industry.

However, the 2008 financial crisis brought unforeseen challenges. Like many others, Maria faced devastating losses, including her successful business and beloved home. Nobody could have predicted the intensity of the damages that such an economy crash could inflict on a whole family’s life. Exploring options like international banking accounts might have provided some stability during such turbulent times, offering secure ways to manage finances across borders.

In 2014, Maria moved to Bali while still suffering and slowly picking up the pieces of the damages caused by the crisis. She found inspiration on the Island of Gods in nature and cultural richness. Drawing on over 20 years of experience, she launched Maria Malo, a sustainable fashion brand that embodies her belief in responsible consumerism. Her designs are timeless, crafted with eco-friendly materials to remain perfect for years. For Maria, her collections are more than clothing—they express life, evolving with colors and society’s shift toward sustainability. Maria Malo celebrates creativity, respect for nature, and ethical practices, proving that fashion can be beautiful and meaningful.

Maria, you’ve had quite a journey—starting in fashion and moving into sustainable design. How did your personal and professional experiences shape your transition from Mala Mujer to Maria Malo?

The truth is, I never set out to work in the fashion industry. As a child, I loved playing with clothes, transforming them into pieces I enjoyed wearing, but my heart was always elsewhere—deep in nature. I was drawn to the fields, the sea, the mountains… that was where I felt most alive. If anything, it was fashion that pulled me into its orbit. After completing my degree in environmental sciences, I moved to the mountains, living between the peaks and the ocean, working any job I could find while trying to figure out my purpose. I taught skiing, worked in restaurants… and over time, I started making t-shirts—not for money, but simply for fun. But from a small box of shirts, we grew big in just a couple of years. The industry caught me like a whirlwind, and I found myself swept along, unable to say no to the offers that came pouring in. I worked tirelessly, day in and day out, and somehow, I enjoyed it. But it was a kind of blind enjoyment—without direction, without purpose, without any clear sense of where I was headed.

The 2008 economic crisis hit me hard, just as I was still young, with no business experience, and managing large-scale operations. I did everything I could think of to keep things afloat. We closed stores, expanded into home textiles and décor, and somehow managed to continue, despite the constant challenges. But eventually, I couldn’t keep going. I gave everything—everything material, and even my relationship fell apart. And that was when I found myself in the deepest, most transformative phase of my life. I turned inward, exploring new paths of healing and self-discovery—yoga, meditation, Gestalt therapy, mental ecology, ceremonies with medicinal plants… Anything that would help me reconnect with myself, to truly understand who I was beyond the chaos I was immersed.

In the silence of that journey, I came to a realization: it no longer made sense to dedicate my life to an industry that is one of the most polluting in the world. I began to question everything. I considered leaving it all behind, but as I reflected deeper, I began to sense that my connection to fashion wasn’t a coincidence—that perhaps it was calling me to change it, to find another way and show it’s possible. At that time there were no sustainable brands in Spain and just a few international brands were starting. I began writing about how to reconcile my love for Nature with the fashion world, not fully aware that this was the seed for a profound transformation, a metamorphosis from “Mala Mujer” to “Maria Malo.”

Then, one day, a neighbor knocked on my door. He told me he was an investor and was looking for a sustainable project to support. I invited him in, made him tea, and shared everything I had been writing and dreaming about for months. It must have resonated with him because, within weeks, we were signing contracts, and I was packing my bags for Bali to start fresh, to begin anew. And so, the journey continues—not just as a designer, but as someone committed to creating something better, something that connects fashion with nature, and the heart with the earth.

Sustainability is at the core of your brand, yet fashion often has a reputation for being wasteful. What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in creating a brand that balances beauty, quality, and environmental consciousness?

When I decided to transform my project, I knew I wanted it to be something radically different. I wanted to create with materials that respected the Earth—fabrics that were naturally regenerated, fibers made from recycled waste, dyes that came straight from nature, and packaging that was either recycled or biodegradable. I wanted every part of it to speak to the kind of world I dream of. But when I shared my vision, people thought I was crazy. I kept hearing that it was a beautiful, romantic idea—but that it could never work.

The truth is, the production costs were—and still are—prohibitively high. Back then, nobody was really talking about the urgent need for responsible consumption, and it wasn’t easy to find people who truly understood the value of what I was trying to do. But I couldn’t back down. For me, it was simple: it was either this path or no path at all.

If fashion had ever brought me success, it wasn’t because I was the best designer or the sharpest businesswoman. It was because I had a deep calling to be part of something bigger, something that could help bring about real change. And I believe that success wasn’t given to me by chance. It was given to me so I could fulfill this purpose—to serve humanity and Mother Earth in a meaningful way.

Today, things are different. The words “eco,” “bio,” “ethical,” and “sustainable” are everywhere. Consciousness has become a trend. But often, those words are tossed around without true conviction—just another marketing ploy. The real challenge is that we still lack the education we need. We still need more people to think critically, to question the stories we’re told, no matter how appealing they sound. It doesn’t take much to see that it’s simply impossible to buy clothes that respect both the planet and the people who make them at bargain prices. Companies that run endless sales or churn out endless production cycles are not thinking about sustainability—they’re thinking about growth, about profit. And that is the stark reality we face.

The real question is this: how many of us truly care enough to live in a way that aligns with our values—living with coherence, living in a way that honors the Earth, the very Mother who sustains us? Sadly, not enough. And for a sustainable fashion project, that’s a major hurdle. I still hear the disapproving whispers when people see our prices. Few understand the effort, the heart, and the sacrifice that goes into everything we create. But it’s because of those few—those who truly get it—that we keep going. They are the reason we can continue to do what we do.

The 2008 financial crisis was a pivotal moment in your life, bringing significant losses and challenges both professionally and personally. What did it take to rebuild and move forward? How has that experience, which took nearly a decade to overcome, shaped the way you approach both your work and personal life today?

We could say that through that economic crisis, the person I thought I was until then died. And with her, everything I knew—everything I built—crumbled. The process of letting go was far slower than I would have liked, mostly because I’m someone who struggles to release. This, perhaps, has been one of the most valuable lessons of my life. I’m not saying I’ve fully integrated it yet—haha, far from it—but at least I’m aware of it now.

To say goodbye in peace to something or someone I love, I need to know I’ve done everything in my power to make it work. But that, more often than not, is excruciating. It’s not just about letting go—it’s about the agony of prolonging the inevitable, of avoiding the truth you know deep down you must face sooner or later. I probably would have spared myself a lot of pain and wasted time if I’d been colder, and more detached. But for so many years, I carried the weight of responsibility and guilt. I dragged the heavy burden of failure with me because I couldn’t save the situation when the crisis hit.

Many of my employees, the ones I considered family, lost their jobs. And, like me, some of our suppliers were left unpaid. I found myself in legal battles, facing lawsuits and even criminal charges for my negligence as a manager of the company… And in the process, I dragged the people I loved most into that storm with me. One by one, the house of cards began to fall. Like an unstoppable domino effect, I watched helplessly as everything we had built—our dreams, our work—collapsed and died right before my eyes. And I, too, was crumbling.

I remember the words of my therapist, Francisco, whom I sought out during those years, thinking that just as I once needed a physical coach when I was competing, now I would need a psychological one. He said to me, “You will look back on these years as both the hardest and the most beautiful of your life.” I didn’t understand what he meant at the time, but now, I think I do. “Beautiful” might not be the right word, but it’s in those moments when everything falls away when there’s nothing left but you and your solitude, that something truly powerful happens.

When you allow yourself to fall, to surrender completely, something else enters—the magic. In those moments, you connect with an energy so much greater and purer than anything you have experienced before. It embraces you, it guides you, and there’s an undeniable certainty that rises from your chest—a certainty you can’t ignore, and you simply have to follow.

You’ve lived a lonely path that led you through so many experiences and challenges, including the profound heartbreak of losing an unborn child. How do you feel these moments have shaped your mental and emotional evolution over the years? What has been your biggest learning curve, and how do you feel life continues to test and transform you today?

Oh, Nicki… This is something I still find so hard to talk about, even today. I always dreamed of being a mother, of experiencing the miracle of bringing a new life into the world, of feeling what it’s like to give birth as a woman. But due to life’s circumstances, I no longer believe I’ll get to live that. When I first found out I was pregnant, I knew it wasn’t the right time. I knew that baby would arrive in the middle of a storm where every ounce of my energy was being spent just trying to keep my head above water. I remember one morning, carrying two gas canisters, I whispered to my baby to leave… and, just like that, he did. A few days later, on a Saturday morning, I started bleeding. By the time I saw the gynecologist on Monday, he told me I had miscarried. Because of the risk of infection, he performed the curettage right there in his office, without anesthesia. I can’t even begin to describe the pain—physically, yes, but emotionally, too. It was as if my body and heart had both been torn apart at the same time.

I believe we’re here to learn, and that the curve of learning is infinite. Sometimes we learn through pain, and sometimes through joy. But the important thing is that, fortunately, we never stop learning—and that’s what it means to be alive. It’s only when we stop learning that we truly die.

Looking ahead, what are your expectations for the future—both personally and for Maria Malo as a brand? How do you envision the brand’s growth, and what personal goals are you still working towards?

Living without expectations—that, I believe, is the most profound lesson. To embrace each step, each experience, each day, without the weight of what tomorrow may or may not bring. We must set a course, choose a direction, and commit to walking that path. But we can’t allow our happiness to depend on a destination we may never reach. True fulfillment comes from the journey itself, not from a future that remains uncertain.

For me, my professional purpose is clear: to inspire through my work, to encourage more people to take the leap into a way of living that reconnects them with their truest essence. To educate through my craft, honoring the generations that will follow us—generations who, just like us, deserve the priceless gift of experiencing life in harmony with Nature.

I trust that my project will grow in its organic rhythm, evolving alongside society as it shifts toward a more sustainable way of living. I’m not chasing more; I’m grateful for what I have. My only wish is to savor this process, to be present in each moment, and to let that be enough.

Thank you, my dear friend, for this beautiful interview, and for offering me the space to reflect on these difficult, yet meaningful questions that continue to move me in ways I can’t fully express. Love you, always.

Pictures: Nicki Antognini & Mario
Words: Maria Malo & Nicki Antognini
Thanks to: Maria for always sharing the most intimate stories
Links: Maria Malo website