Many years ago, on a drive from Switzerland to Italy, we came across a small town near St. Moritz called Maloja. It was an unexpected discovery, and we spent a rather unusual night in the Maloja Palace. Unusual, in that we were the only guests in the entire hotel – a bizarre circumstance, since the hotel regularly fills up – we just happened upon it at an unusual moment. The walks, the dinner, and the hotel were unforgettable.
My discovery of Maloja Clothing seems to have come about unexpectedly as well. On a day a few months back, I was perusing my normal blogs when I spotted the word Maloja. My memory of the overnight stay has stuck with me, so seeing the name immediately got my attention. A little more digging, and I discovered Maloja Clothing.
The company, based in Bavaria, Germany, specializes in outdoor clothing. Everything from Nordic Ski gear to cycling specific clothing is available on their site. It’s a varied collection, and there is definitely a European aesthetic to the design. Pricing is quite reasonable, and judging from the above pictured jacket I’ve been wearing, the quality is top notch.
This jacket, called the Carl, is designed in Bavaria and made in Bulgaria. It is a blend of wool, polyester and nylon. The interior is as soft as can be, while the exterior has a faint herringbone pattern. There are cinch straps at the waist, two internal pockets, two zippered hand pockets, and one zippered chest pocket. The main zipper of the piece closes the jacket snugly around the neck, keeping the warmth in. The jacket is windproof and water repellent, and has elastic cuffs. I’ve been wearing it continuously, and look forward to taking it to the mountains in a few weeks.
Maloja has found a niche that distinguishes it from other brands, and their founding principles stem from a slightly different perspective than most. I enjoyed reading the short piece about “how it began”; it seems the town of Maloja also had a profound impact on the folks who started Maloja Clothing.
