Brooklyn-based model, designer and entrepreneur Malachai Spivey knows what it’s like to march to his own beat — he’s been doing it for years, navigating different spaces within the creative industry with poise. He has paved his own distinct path as a model and later began creating his own ready-to-wear line as the founder of Human Nature Worldwide. Now, he takes us down the journey of that path with UGG. Spivey was always into creating — he used to customize his own clothes in high school and practiced photography as a hobby. His professional journey began when he was signed to a creative agency by Hood by Air’s Creative Director at the time, Kevin Amato, who invited him into rooms with other artists who encouraged his creative evolution.

“I was signed for about 3 years, and that time allowed me to be immersed in that community. Modeling slowed down a bit, and I took on styling for some time, working as an assistant to Anna Trevelyan. I knew then that it wouldn’t make sense to confine myself to just one skill,” he shared, “I wanted to create my own world. From 2018 until about 2020, I began creating my first clothing samples. Now from there, I’ve just been scaling.”

Though he dove headfirst into the arts and the fashion industry once he found his bearings, New York City’s thriving cultural scene wasn’t new to Spivey. He was born and raised in Flatbush, drawing constant inspiration from the unabashed expression of New Yorkers. “Even before diving into any parts of my current career, I always felt like being on the street in New York was like the runway. New Yorkers are vocal — they’ll tell you if they don’t like what you’re wearing and continue about their day. So being here really gives you tough skin to be able to experiment and find yourself,” he reflected.

“Flatbush is where I was getting my fashion lessons and inspiration from, long before I was even privy to what Soho was. But I started hanging out there once I was on Tumblr more and saw that a lot of the fashion kids hung out there. I remember my first time shopping in Soho; it felt like Disneyland.”

Spivey took us along on a walk down memory lane as he stopped into some of the places that shaped him. He noted that in his neighborhood, a lot has changed in the last decade, but he still visited some of the locations that molded his creativity, like the sneaker store where he bought his first Jordans and the T-shirt shop in Bed-Stuy where he used to get his graphic tees. “We shot near my elementary school, and it was such a different area at that time. There’s a lot of beauty in seeing how much I’ve grown, and how much the places I’ve grown in have grown. We stopped into one of my favorite restaurants, and the college my mom graduated from is just across the street from my elementary school as well. Getting to revisit all of these spots was a full-circle moment for me.”

The juxtaposition between his Flatbush stomping grounds and downtown NYC shaped his style perspective — whether he’s styling others or himself. When creating clothing for Human Nature Worldwide, he shared that he takes inspiration from his Trinidadian culture and the neighborhood that raised him, while fusing these elements with the more modern street style codes he learned during his upbringing. This sense of adaptability also bleeds into his personal style. “I might have on a full suit one day, then the next day I might have on a distressed jean look. [My style] is all about connecting different worlds,” he said.

Spivey brought this dynamic style approach to his self-styled UGG looks. Each look allowed Spivey to shapeshift sartorially, reflecting his day-to-day tendencies. Mixed and matched colors and textures yielded intriguing ensembles that incorporated the Classic Ultra Mini Wrap Tech, the Classic Mini GTX, and the Classic Ultra Mini Hybrids. “I love that the GTXs are structured. They’re a bit more sturdy, so they won’t crease. Those were my favorites off rip, because it’s about taking something familiar and adding a slight twist to it. I styled the GTX using a little more texture for that look because I wanted to accentuate the shoe’s textures, which was another feature I loved,” he continued, “I beat my UGGs to the ground for the past two years. There’s no outfit where I think, ‘Oh, I can’t wear UGGs with this.’ These pairs are definitely going to be heavily in my rotation this winter and fall.”

Check out the pieces from Malachai’s looks at ugg.com.