Interview by Ruby Staley

Julia McCarthy began friends with frank with the iconic frank jacket; a simple timeless piece that remains the brands top selling item to this day. Now, the label boasts more than one signature design, retailing through their e-commerce site and in selected boutiques Australia-wide.

Each piece is lovingly designed locally in Melbourne and made to order on small production runs, helping to minimise waste and over-consumption. The FWF team operate under a philosophy of “simplicity is best” and “quality over quantity”, always.

I spoke to Julia about all things designing for FWF, isolation survival tips and combatting anxiety in the face of an unknown future.

Let’s start off easy, who’s frank? And how did you come up with the name?

Well, it might seem a little unusual now – given the number of brands that feature Frank in their name – but eight years ago my (now) husband and I actually landed on the name for its irony… We felt like no-one in our generation was called Frank, despite it being such a common name in older generations and on movies and things. There was no turning back after we called the first jacket we launched, ‘the Frank jacket’, which was our best seller for years and 8 years on is still very popular. Thankfully, we still love the name.

Tell me a little bit about your production and design processes and why it’s important for you to remain “slow”?

I’ve always loved outerwear and would (and still do) lust over designer luxury pieces, such as shearling and cashmere long coats. I believe part of the appeal of these pieces is the versatility and longevity that they offer. But the price makes them inaccessible to most customers.
The whole premise of Friends With Frank is creating luxury pieces which are more accessible, but still have that classic design and lasting quality. So, I generally try to stay away from seasonal trends and focus on a more neutral colour pallet.

Our label is very much about classic cuts and quality materials. So, we’re really happy to have found amazing suppliers and technicians (also small family-run businesses), who also work with some of the world’s most famous labels. I’m also personally a fan of the “buy less; choose well” philosophy. In an age where we are presented with so much choice, I personally get a sense of satisfaction from choosing investment pieces that aren’t liable to go out-of-fashion in one season. Something you can love and wear for years to come.

You recently released a new AW20 collection, how did you find that? Any complications or things that surprised you?

Over the past few years, we’ve been slowly introducing new materials. One material I was originally reluctant to use was faux fur and shearling, on the view that faux materials had historically been used for trend pieces and didn’t have that lasting character our label requires. However, my mind was changed on a sourcing trip when a supplier introduced me to some materials that she said were faux. They were such amazing quality that I found it hard to believe. I hope one thing that comes through in our AW20 collection is how we’ve crafted these high-quality faux materials into classic shapes with luxury detail.

“Initially, we freaked out. But, just like everyone, we’re adapting.”

The world is a crazy place right now, how are friends with frank adapting to the new market and societal climate?

What a crazy 3 months we’ve seen so far in 2020. We are a seasonal business (autumn/winter focused), and our big AW20 launch collection came about 2 weeks before Australia pretty much went into lockdown. We are only human so of course, initially, we freaked out. But, just like everyone, we’re adapting. I’ve got a pretty amazing team. We sat down and developed a strategy for how we’ll approach this season. As an example, we’ve introduced a live-chat feature on our website, so that we can continue to engage with our customers, even if ordinarily they would prefer to come into our showroom (which was due to launch on the 28th of March but has been postponed). We’ve also added extra sizing details on the website, and are offering free returns to Australian and New Zealand – all designed to make the online buying process easier for our customers. So far, it’s been received really well.

What are you doing to combat stress and anxiety at this time? Are you still working and designing?

Yes, we are absolutely still working and planning for future seasons - this tricky time will pass and we are committed to coming out of this stronger than ever. And we’re grateful to our customers (old and new) for the support they’re continuing to show. Personally, I’m committed to maintaining a positive state of mind and minimising stress. That means reducing my coffee intake to 1 a day (anymore than that and I can feel the anxiety creeping in!) healthy eating, and a non-negotiable 30 minutes of exercise a day - whether that’s a long walk with my husband Tom and groodle Sookie, or a makeshift yoga session in our backyard (which Sookie often joins in on, uninvited!)

What does your ideal WFH/isolation outfit look like?

I think it’s important to get up, exercise and shower as you normally would, and “head into work”, even if that’s your living room. I’m actually finding I’m having a lot of Zoom meetings. But even if the day might not involve any face-time, for me it’s still really important to act ‘as if’…avoiding a track-suit and slipper situation (as comfy as it might be), and instead of elevating myself with my make-up routine, my favourite gold earrings, my go-to Gucci slides, vintage Levis and perhaps a grey-marle cashmere knit…of course, paired with a tan Harriet teddy coat. Trust me, it’s the ultimate WFH outfit-maker!

Shop friends with frank online here or check them out in Instagram @friendswithfrank

A-Z of friends with frank