Malbon

Founded 2017 · Los Angeles, California, USA

Apparel & Footwear; Bags & Accessories

#6

Global Rank

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Malbon Golf, founded in Los Angeles in 2017 by Stephen and Erica Malbon, has become the most visible symbol of golf's cultural transformation over the past decade. What began as a small streetwear-inspired golf brand quickly evolved into a lifestyle juggernaut, blending high-fashion collaborations, celebrity endorsements, and a deep understanding of how younger audiences consume sports culture. The brand's "Buckets" mascot, a cartoonish golfer logo, has achieved rare status in golf: genuine cultural iconography beyond the sport itself. Malbon's product range spans apparel, headwear, bags, and accessories, all designed with streetwear sensibilities and premium fabrication. The brand is known for bold graphics, unexpected colorways, and collaborations with brands like New Balance, Nike, and Lululemon, plus artists and cultural figures outside golf entirely. These partnerships have positioned Malbon not as a golf brand that occasionally does fashion, but as a genuine lifestyle label that happens to focus on golf. The strategy has worked: Malbon is worn by professional athletes across sports, musicians, and influencers who may never play 18 holes. The brand's retail presence includes flagship stores in Los Angeles and New York, plus distribution through high-end retailers and its own e-commerce platform. Malbon has also hosted experiential events, pop-ups, and collaborations that blur the line between golf, art, fashion, and nightlife. Critically, the brand has built this cultural capital without significant tour presence or equipment validation, Malbon's authority comes from culture, not performance. Malbon represents the clearest example of golf's shift from country club sport to lifestyle category. It's apparel for people who care about what golf represents culturally, access, style, aspiration, more than what it requires technically. In an industry historically resistant to change, Malbon proved that golf could be cool, accessible, and profitable by ignoring most of golf's old rules entirely.