Gaelle Drevet, founder of the Frankie Shop, Photo Credit: An-Hao Chang
Before the term ‘quiet luxury’ dominated social feeds and magazine spreads, Frankie Shop had already defined the movement.
But while quiet luxury is on the decline, the Frankie Shop’s star is only rising.
Frankly — to founder Gaëlle Drevet — the Frankie Shop’s essence is about self-expression and cultivating personal style.
It’s not about being the loudest in the room, but rather about being confident and unapologetic. It’s an attitude of owning it.
Take it from Drevet, who has earned her status as one of the female designers at the forefront of fashion. She was featured in the March issue of Vogue, as one of the world’s “35 Women Dressing Women.”
“The goal is to remain true to yourself,” Drevet affirms. “You won’t be able to walk comfortably or stand tall in a look that isn’t authentically you.”
With a penchant for doing away with logos, the Frankie Shop’s aesthetic leans into minimalism, while creating maximum buzz.
Launched by journalist-turned-entrepreneur Drevet in 2014, the retailer has gained a cult following and celebrity fans (including Rihanna, Hailey Bieber, Khalid, Lady Gaga, Coco Gauff, and Travis Kelce).
In 2022, it launched its men’s and gender-neutral lines, reaffirming its inclusive ethos.
Frankie does it all and for everyone.
With all eyes on Paris this summer, the brand cemented its place in culture by being among the fifteen French fashion designers enlisted to dress performers at the Paris Olympics Games’ opening ceremony. (Quite an accolade considering Paris is home to many heritage designer brands.)
A decade since launching its ‘effortless French style meets New York cool’ signature aesthetic to a generation of editors and fashion lovers, the Frankie Shop proves that it’s Frankie’s world — we’re all just living in it.
Between its iconic Eva T-shirt (a tank top with shoulder pads that debuted in 2019) and timeless boyfriend blazers (since 2017), the brand embraces both masculin and féminin.
“You’ve got to take risks to be fashionable,” Drevet notes. “You’ve got to believe that adding big shoulder pads is a timeless modern twist on a T-shirt.
Gaelle Drevet, founder of the Frankie Shop, Photo Credit: Keetja Allard
“Fashion is full of paradox,” Drevet asserts. “To summarize Frankie Shop — it’s cosmopolitan and universal. Done and undone. Paris and New York — a tale of two cities. Masculin and féminin.”
Another contradiction: balancing trends with timeless pieces. It’s a call to action to express individuality, regardless of the micro-trends being served on social media (whether Barbiecore, “mob wife” or “girlhood” aesthetic).
While Frankie adjusts silhouettes and plays with details like volume and pockets every season, Drevet offers a reminder to observe what you already own and to keep in mind that the trend is in you.
Fans can shop for fashion, lifestyle and home at two New York City locations — one in its original Lower East Side store and a second flagship in SoHo, in addition to two Parisian boutiques on rue Saint-Claude (one dedicated to men and one focused on womenswear). It also headed to Los Angeles for a limited time, with its “Frankie Shop Goes To Hollywood” art installation in March. (With Demi Moore as the face of the campaign.)
Last year, the Frankie Shop added another stop to its roster: a pop-up in London’s Selfridges.
With its sights set on international expansion, Drevet stays the course when it comes to her vision of remaining a global, yet niche brand. (Another paradox.)
It’s about striking a balance between remaining niche, while resonating with customers worldwide. Drevet ensures the brand’s exclusivity by limiting its presence in retail outlets. Currently, select Frankie pieces are available at top luxury department stores across Europe, as well as global e-tailers like SSENSE and Farfetch.
“It’s important to curate desirability. If you’re everywhere, you’re diluting the brand and become a bit more disposable,” Drevet asserts.
While global accessibility and recognition are critical to the brand, Drevet doubles down on the magic of people visiting the Frankie Shop boutiques to be immersed in its universe.
As for contradictions, it’s worth adding these to the store locations: aspirational and cool, yet warm and inviting.
The Frankie Shop Paris location, Photo Credit: Albin Durand
“I’ve always wanted Frankie to be a gathering place for everyone. Our social media reflects this — it’s about being reachable and relatable. It’s not just about celebrities, VIPs, influencers, it’s about everyone — everyone who loves fashion.”
Drevet leads with intuition and curiosity — “I’m very curious and very nosy,” as she puts it — two traits that have served her as an investigative journalist during the first act of her career. As a storyteller, branding and images play a key role in her strategic mind.
One thing customers have learned to anticipate is the brand’s weekly Saturday morning “Back In Stock” emails, with limited items restocked based on demand.
“I test things first, I don’t overproduce,” Drevet shares. “I’m actually trying to make sure you get what you really want, by signing up for a restock. There’s no better feeling than scooping up an item you’ve been waiting for.”
For her, momentum is important when it comes to staying at the forefront of fashion and in tune with culture. It’s about riding the current of trends to remain au courant.
Frankie defines the moment, like it did with last year’s “I Wish You Well” T-shirt collaboration with artist Thomas Lélu (a nod to the 2023 Gwyneth Paltrow trial). It’s subtly sassy, yet speaks volumes about how the Frankie Shop’s finger remains on the pulse of pop culture.
There’s an ‘if you know, you know’ sensibility around everything Frankie Shop creates. The brand is like a co-conspirator in the conversation, while ensuring we’re all in on the punchline too.
“Yes, it’s fashion, but guess what, there are bigger problems in the world. So you need to have a sense of humor and not take yourself too seriously. There needs to be a touch of irreverence in your daily life.”
