Tommy Mallet is a British businessman, footwear designer and former reality television star. He became famous through The Only Way Is Essex, better known as TOWIE, but his career soon moved far beyond television. He helped build Mallet London into a successful footwear brand, gained recognition from Forbes and later created a new shoe company called CTRNE.
His journey has not been simple. It includes television fame, business growth, family life, financial pressure, a High Court case and a fresh start in Dubai. His story shows how fast success can grow, but also how quickly life can change when business partnerships break down.
Who Is Tommy Mallet?
Tommy Mallet was born Tommy Fordham in May 1992. He grew up in Islington, North London, before moving to Essex. “Mallet” is not his legal surname. It began as a childhood nickname and stayed with him for many years. He later used the name for the footwear company that made him well known in the fashion world.
He had a difficult time at school and has spoken openly about dyslexia. He did not follow a traditional academic route. Instead, he worked in construction and carpentry before entering television. Those early jobs gave him practical skills and a strong work ethic. They also made his later move into luxury footwear even more unusual.
Tommy Mallet Age and Real Name
His real name is Tommy Fordham. Official company records confirm that he was born in May 1992. His full date of birth is widely given as 28 May 1992. That means he is 34 years old in 2026. Although many people still know him by the Mallet name, he now uses Tommy Fordham more often in business.
Tommy Mallet and TOWIE
Tommy Mallet joined The Only Way Is Essex in 2014. The show gave him national attention and helped him build a strong social media following. His relationship with Georgia Kousoulou also became a major part of his television life. TOWIE was important for more than fame. It gave him direct access to a large audience at a time when he was starting to build a footwear company.
When he began promoting trainers, he already had hundreds of thousands of followers. That helped him place new designs in front of customers without relying only on normal advertising. As his business grew, he spent less time on regular television work. He still made later appearances, but footwear became his main focus.
How Tommy Mallet Built Mallet London
The idea for Mallet London started after Tommy saw expensive designer trainers that he liked but could not afford. Instead of giving up on the idea, he decided to create his own design. He began with a sketch and worked with business partner Evren Ozkarakasli to develop the concept. Mallet Footwear was launched in 2015.
The first stage was difficult. The founders produced a small number of shoes, but sales were weak. They invested more money, improved the design and continued building the brand. That decision paid off. Retailers began showing interest, and the company moved from small early sales into major stores in the UK and overseas.
Tommy Mallet Trainers and Shoe Designs
Tommy Mallet London became known for premium trainers with a clean and modern look.
The shoes often used leather, mesh, metal details and bold soles. Many designs had links to London and Tommy’s childhood.
Popular styles included:
- Diver
- Popham
- Kingsland
- GRFTR
The Popham design had a strong link to his North London background.
The company aimed to offer a luxury feel without charging the same price as some of the world’s most expensive designer brands.
How Big Did Mallet London Become?
The company grew into an international footwear business. In 2020, Mallet London made £11.8 million in sales. Its products were sold through more than 150 stores worldwide. The brand later reached yearly sales above £17 million. It also expanded beyond trainers into clothing and opened a store on Carnaby Street in London.
Tommy Mallet products were sold through major retailers including Harrods, Selfridges and Flannels. In 2021, Forbes included Tommy in its 30 Under 30 Europe group for Retail and Ecommerce. That was a major step in his career. It showed that he had moved from being known mainly as a reality television star to becoming a serious name in British footwear.
Why Did Tommy Mallet Leave Mallet London?
Tommy Mallet resigned as a director of Mallet Footwear in October 2023. His exit came after a major disagreement connected with the business and his future plans. The dispute later reached the High Court in 2024. The case focused on limits linked to his old business agreement. A key issue was whether he could work with certain customers, workers and commercial contacts while building another footwear company.
The court did not stop him from launching a new shoe brand. However, some restrictions were applied for a fixed period. These covered certain business relationships connected with Mallet London. Tommy later stopped being a person with significant control of Mallet Footwear. This marked the end of an important stage in his career.
Tommy Mallet Net Worth and Money Problems
There is no confirmed figure for his personal net worth in 2026. Older celebrity wealth estimates placed him in the multi-million-pound range. However, those numbers became less useful after his business split and financial problems. Tommy has spoken about having millions of pounds in the bank during the strongest period of his success.
He later said that he lost a large part of his wealth and faced debts worth millions. For this reason, old claims that place his present fortune at £10 million, £20 million or £30 million should not be treated as confirmed facts. Business sales and personal wealth are also very different things. A company can make millions in sales without the founder personally owning the same amount of money.
CTRNE: Tommy Mallet Starts Again
After leaving Mallet London, Tommy created a new footwear business called CTRNE. The company is linked to MNFSTABNDNCEHOLDINGS LTD, which was formed at the end of 2023. CTRNE uses the idea of citrine crystal as part of its brand identity. Citrine is often connected with ideas such as confidence, success and abundance in spiritual culture. The brand places citrine into parts of its footwear design and uses the idea as part of its wider message.
CTRNE Shoes and Trainers
CTRNE sells several styles, including:
- Geode Manifest Sneaker
- Orgonite Manifest Sneaker
- Abundance Sneaker
- CTRNE Connect
The company also sells grounding footwear.
These shoes use conductive parts in the sole and are designed to connect the wearer with natural ground surfaces.
Tommy remains a key figure behind the company and has strong control over its direction.
Tommy Mallet Wife and Marriage
Tommy Mallet is married to Georgia Kousoulou. Georgia also became famous through TOWIE. The couple started their relationship after meeting through the show. Their relationship later became one of the best-known parts of their television story.
They became engaged in February 2022.
They legally married in December 2023.
A larger wedding celebration then took place in Majorca in June 2025.
The couple have remained together through major changes in family life, business and television.
Tommy Mallet Children and Family
Tommy and Georgia have two children.
Their son, Brody Fordham, was born in 2021.
Their daughter, Gigi Fordham, was born in November 2024.
Family life became a major part of their television work through Georgia & Tommy: Baby Steps.
The programme showed their lives as parents and covered some difficult personal moments.
They later appeared in Georgia & Tommy: Happy Essex After, which included family changes and wedding plans.
ADHD, Dyslexia and Autism
Tommy has spoken openly about personal challenges linked to the way he learns and thinks.
He has discussed living with dyslexia since childhood.
He was later diagnosed with ADHD.
In 2026, he also spoke about receiving an autism diagnosis later in life.
He has explained how these experiences affected school, business, relationships and his way of dealing with pressure.
His openness has become an important part of his public story.
Tommy Mallet Moves to Dubai
In 2026, Tommy and Georgia began a new chapter by moving to Dubai with their children. The family left their Essex home and started building a new life in the United Arab Emirates. The move also fits with Tommy’s business goals.
Dubai offers strong links with luxury retail, international customers and global brands. This could help CTRNE grow outside the UK. The move also marked a clear change from the Essex lifestyle that had been linked with Tommy for more than a decade.
What Is Tommy Mallet Doing Now?
In 2026, his main focus is CTRNE, family life and building his business again. He now uses Tommy Fordham more often in professional settings. His career has moved through several clear stages.
He began in construction, became a reality television star, built a multi-million-pound footwear company, left that company after a major dispute and then launched a new brand. His next challenge is to prove that he can build another successful footwear business from the ground up.
Final Thoughts
Tommy Mallet has had one of the most unusual careers to come from British reality television. He did not stay within entertainment. He used his fame to help create a serious footwear company and turned Mallet London into an international brand. His journey also includes hard lessons.
He lost control of the company linked to his nickname, went through a legal dispute and spoke openly about major financial losses. Instead of leaving the footwear industry, he started again with CTRNE. Today, Tommy Fordham is focused on business, his wife Georgia, their two children and a new life in Dubai. His future success will depend on how far CTRNE can grow, but his journey has already shown that he is willing to rebuild after both success and failure.
