moose yaks: frank&lola
I love a good yarn with fellow creatives + clients. I also love to write. So it was only fitting that I spark up a blog series ['moose yaks'] that channels both. To kick it off, I cornered client/creative powerhouse/friend frank and lola [aka Melanie Brandon] to get the 411 on her emerging clothing label.
How did frank&lola come about?
From a recent trip to Bali - which has an incredible hub of expats who are designers, models, artists, stylists - what can I say, I got caught up in the hype! And because Bali has all this amazing fashion from all these amazing designers, I wanted to bring this vibe back to Adelaide.
Tell us about the frank&lola aesthetic?
Frank&lola is all about travel, bright colours, happiness and fun. I tend to chase the sun where ever I go. frank&lola is a reflection of myself and all the gorgeous people I've met in my life.
Earliest memory of your foray into fashion?
I have always searched for unique, fun clothes. I guess living in London, I was addicted to being surround by high street fashion stores like Topshop, H&M, Urban Outfitters. I would go to Oxford Street Topshop and spend hours with my friends in there.
Where did the name come from?
frank&lola are names that are strong and cute and have been floating around in my head for a few years. The birds in my logo - they met on a branch and fell in love for a moment in time. Just like you have encounters in life, love, friendships, jobs, clothes. You can totally be in love with a piece of clothing for a moment in time…. Six months later you can recreate the piece. I drew the frank&lola birds over a coffee with a Swiss friend who hand wrote the text: maybe we were the birds? haha.
Best thing about owning your own fashion label?
The incredible people you meet. The creative outlet. The travel and adventure. The connection I keep with Bali. People buying your stuff and loving it!
Celeb you’d like to see wearing frank&lola?
Alexa Chung - she's totally fun and Dree Hemingway - she's gorgeous and the great granddaughter of Ernst and shares my birthdate so basically amazing.
ASOS asked to stock you? Tell us about that.
ASOS has contacted frank&lola to be apart of their boutique range, in the process of sorting it.
Plans in the frank&lola pipeline?
You know what they say if you can make it in Adelaide, you can make it anywhere. I think I will take frank&lola interstate. Road trips interstate with some designer friends to designer markets. Also heading to Europe so I might even share the frank&lola love there. We'll see, nevetherless life is exciting - you never know what’s hiding around the corner.
frank&Lola is available for purchase online at frankandlola.com.au.
Moose out.
Bx
