On Saturday, May 11th, the Eurovision final in Malmö, Sweden, saw the culmination of months of preparation as Junk Kouture alum Mariusz Malon, renowned for his expertise in wearable art, dazzled audiences worldwide as part of Bambie Thug’s costume design team.
Originally from Poland before moving to Buncrana at the age of 7, Malon’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable. A three-time winner of Junk Kouture during his time at Scoil Mhuire Buncrana, he continued to hone his craft through studies in Co Derry and Manchester, eventually establishing his own company, Malon Fashion, operating out of a studio in Manchester.
Reflecting on his latest venture, Malon expressed disbelief at the opportunity to contribute to such a prestigious event. “I’ve always been a fan of Eurovision, and coming from a small town in Ireland and then moving to Manchester, I was never expecting to be part of such a big event,” he shared.
For Malon, the decision to join Bambie Thug’s team was fuelled by a profound belief in their potential to succeed. “When I was contacted to do this, I was very shocked. I had so much hope for Bambie from day one that they’re going to do great”.
Known for his visually stunning and theatrical creations, Malon approaches his work with an emphasis on artistry rather than conventional garment design. “I’m not a typical designer, I work a lot with drag queens, so I get to be as crazy as I want,” he added.
With Bambie Thug’s aesthetic leaning towards witchery and pagan inspirations, Malon found himself unleashed creatively. “Obviously Bambi has such a witch aesthetic, and a lot of inspirations were pagan so I had a lot of freedom to be creative,” he explained.
Junk Kouture is bursting with pride at Mariusz’s latest achievement. His journey from our stage to Eurovision is truly inspiring and we can’t wait to see his future unfold in fashion design.