Object of Affection – A Frank & Eileen Shirt
In my book of style, there’s nothing better than a modern re-do of an iconic classic.
It’s no wonder I adore a Frank & Eileen shirt — a brand that takes its name from an old-fashioned love story and builds on modern interpretations of an awesome man’s shirt. But re-designed for women. Especially women who don’t believe in ironing…
The red-haired founder of Frank & Eileen, Audrey McLoghlin, was in town recently for a trunk show at Nashville’s fashion locus, H. Audrey. Though Frank & Eileen shirts are sold at swank spots around the country like Barneys, Fred Segal and Ron Herman, I was charmed by the special collaboration with H. Audrey’s owner Holly Williams — a limited edition just for Holly’s store.
Holly Williams collaborated with Frank & Eileen on this orange pin-striped linen shirt.
Here’s what else I learned about these re-thought classics. They’re produced in one of the oldest men’s shirting mills in Italy, just outside Milan. There’s a new “capsule” every month — not a full-on collection, but new colors and looks. And that wonderful crinkly, wrinkly, un-ironed look? It’s a top secret on how a Frank & Eileen shirt gets that way, and stays that way. I pressed for the inside scoop (bad pun!), but Audrey diplomatically declined to comment. She’s classy that way.
Audrey McLoghlin started her company a mere three years — though the label says “est. 1947.”
That’s where the love story comes in. Frank and Eileen are Audrey’s grandparents. They married in 1947 (and they’re Irish, of course). The Frank & Eileen website includes their story.
With jeans. With pearls. With a bright bandana or a Hermès scarf. The kind of modern classic that belongs in every woman’s closet.
About Cindy Wall
Cindy’s a communications and marketing pro, a writer, a grammar snob, and a rapacious reader. In her own words, she knows “a little about a lot” — i.e., 19th century literature, Karl Lagerfeld’s latest adventures, professional bike racing, and when to use the Oxford comma. She’s a fan of indie film and music — and bullish on local eating and shopping.
