FASHION-FORWARD

How Frank & Eileen founder Audrey McLoghlin creates lasting style in a quick-changing industry.

Audrey McLoghlin at Frank & Eileen’s downtown L.A. headquarters; PHOTO BY MORGAN FOITLE

Congrats on 15 years of Frank & Eileen. How did the brand first come about?

It was an accidental love story. I fell in love with an old book of Italian menswear fabrics that I found on the shelves of a factory. I called the Italian menswear mill, and much to my surprise, they arranged for me to meet with a colleague. It was through this serendipitous partnership that I set out to reinvent the button-up shirt for women using menswear fabrics.

Has F&E always had a sustainability focus?

Sustainability was baked into our DNA from inception; I just had no idea it was called sustainability. To me, fast fashion is like fast food—it has no nutritional value and should be consumed sparingly or, ideally, not at all. Slow fashion is like farm-to-table food—it starts with the highest-quality ingredients, is nutritionally dense and good for your soul.

What is a B Corp-certified company, and why is it important to operate one?

It’s a one-of-a-kind comprehensive certification that measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. When we first certified in 2020, we earned a score of 97.5, the highest of any woman-owned U.S. apparel brand. We’ve just certified again with a 28+ increase for a score of 125.5, proudly retaining that same title.

What’s next for you?

We are working hard to launch something dear to my heart for our 15-year anniversary, called “House of Frank & Eileen,” which creates a space for us to invite friends of the brand to design fun products for our incredible community of women around the world. Personally, I am very busy working for my 8-year-old daughter. She is a wonderful boss. What’s next? Third grade!