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Frank & Eileen founder and designer, Audrey McLoghlin, didn't always know she was going to end up in the fashion world; in fact, her background is in engineering. It might be the engineering skills that led to her passion in manufacturing and apparel and eventually a move to LA, where she would start a line of wearable shirts made from luxurious Italian fabrics. Rooted in family, the line is named after the designer's Irish grandparents. "Frank & Eileen is a story of love," says McLoghlin of the brand's story and calls the collection's aesthetic an "innovative mixture of European and California taste."
Frank & Eileen recently celebrated its five year anniversary and to commemorate the occasion, McLoghlin added a second style, called the The Eileen, to her popular women's line. Prior to The Eileen, the brand focused on two successful silhouettes (one for men and one for women) and she plans on introducing yet another style for Summer 15. McLoghlin has also been incredibly passionate about consistently using innovative fabrics in her collection, including the best in linen and poplin and even the LA-blogger-staple, flannel.
What was the overall feel you were going for when designing this space?
When we got the opportunity to take this space, we wanted to be able to use its size and personality and the heritage of the building to really tie into Frank & Eileen's heritage and design it after an old Irish country house.
What was the most difficult part of the process?
Initially it was scale. It was trying to take a 6500 square foot space with 20 foot ceilings and make it feel cozy and intimate like a home.
What is your favorite part of the showroom?
That's really hard! Literally, I walk in everyday and pinch myself that I get to work here. From the moment you walk in the front door you transform, you walk in and you don't feel like you're downtown. It feels amazing and you feel like you're home. It makes it so inspiring to do our work everyday.
What inspired you to start the brand?
I accidentally fell madly in love with this Italian men's shirting mill and thought it was so special and so unique that I wanted to start another brand around this mill. Taking these incredible, classic menswear fabrics and turning them into sexy, women's shirting.
What is the Frank & Eileen staple?
Our classic white poplin, The Barry. It's crisp and crinkled and always fresh.
Describe your design process.
There is a constant designed process whether it be from traveling I'll see something or a color I'm inspired by, or a fabric or a look, there can be so many different things. When we find things we tag them for seasons, then when we're ready to design that season, we pull out all of our notes and create a collection around it. A lot of time an entire collection is based on one single item.
We heard you just opened the first Frank & Eileen retail store.
It was a very unique retail concept called the Frank & Eileen Shirt Pub and its designed after an Irish Pub. When you go inside, our cash wrap is designed after a bar and there is Irish beer on tap. We have tons of exclusives and launch new fabrications there first.
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