FRANKIE JEAN

MAKER: ASHLEY GREEN

I've been the biggest fan of Frankie Jean ever since I saw the "HOWDY" and "TACOS" hats at the cutest little coffee shop, Eleanore's. You'll see me around Austin sporting pieces from the crafted, minimalistic collab collection with Curry Beth. If you've been looking for perfectly tailored crop tops or the most comfortable linen dress to add to your capsule collection, Frankie Jean + Curry Beth have you covered.

WHY DO YOU CALL AUSTIN HOME?

I actually grew up here just outside the city and only left for college before returning. But in terms of why I am here now, I think it has to be because this city has a way of showing tremendous support for those who are trying to make it on their own. That is huge when you are trying to get a small business off the ground.

FAVORITE SONG/ARTIST/ALBUM FOR A SPARK OF CREATIVITY

Id have to say Lord Huron the whole Lonesome Dreams Album. Overtime I listen to it I feel like I am in a car on a road trip through west Texas and it just brings me to a mindset where I feel I can clear my head and be my best creative self.

BIGGEST DEBATE OF ALL: COFFEE OR TEA

I am not a big coffee or tea fan haha so Id have to say juice!

WHO DO YOU FOLLOW FOR INSTAGRAM INSPIRATION

I follow a lot of landscape artists because I dream of getting to travel a bunch someday, and a lot of typography artists because I love fun fonts. But in general for inspiration I follow @chelsiereimer, @rowanmade , @ea_wang , @darling and many more

 

FAVORITE LOCAL FOOD TRUCK

Pueblo Viejo because my boyfriend and I go there almost every week for breakfast tacos. We constantly rave and bond over how much we love them.

FAVORITE LOCAL BOUTIQUE

Id have to say I really love Take Heart. I love the selection of goods and their aesthetic

GO TO MID-DAY SNACK FOR CREATIVE FUEL

I love goldfish! haha. I have since I was a kid and I think maybe possibly snacking on them brings back some of my childlike creativity.

WHO HAS HAD THE MOST CREATIVE INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE

Id have to say my mother. I lost her to Cancer when I was young but she was such a creative and an encourager of others that it helped me see the necessity in working alongside creatives around me while pursuing my own dreams. It is why I named the brand after her.

HOW HAS SOCIAL HELPED YOUR BUSINESS

Instagram has helped a ton since it is the main way our customers get to know about and see our new products with direct access to them. It also make it an easy way for them to share our items with others. I also love that it allows us to stay connected with our customers on a regular basis.

HOW HAS THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY SUPPORTED YOU

Austin is a city full of creatives and it is also I city that isn't super competitive but more so collaborative. I think all of these things make it so that a business like mine has the chance to get off the ground and then also succeed

WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT YOUR DESIGNS

I guess how much of a collaboration some of them are. I love getting to design and create but it is done with such a great team of creatives around me that I just want them to get the recognition they deserve as well.

WHERE DO YOU CREATE BEST

I have a home studio that I work out of and it gets great natural light and I just turn on some music or a fun TV series and get my best work done in there.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BE A MAKER AND HOW DO YOU CHOOSE ARTISTS TO FEATURE

I loved growing up on a little bit of farmland just outside the city, and out there we had the chance to let our imaginations run wild all the time. I also had a mom who was very creative herself. I think these things are what lead to me longing to take a creative route in life. I also learned early on that I had too many good ideas to waste my time working for someone else who might not appreciate them as much as I do. Its hard to admit that…sometimes I wish I could hang up my hat and have a normal job but I think that what I do in terms of creating a space for other creatives like me to begin or continue to thrive has a lot of relevance these days as we try to shop more ethically and locally.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST EXCITING MOMENT SO FAR OF YOUR CRAFT

Id have to say when I am out and about and people find out that I am associated with Frankie Jean. The reactions they have about how much they love the brand is just a reminder that all of the other routes I took, that didn’t quite make it, lead me to this one that truly feels like the perfect fit and other people are on board with it too which means I can keep doing it. As a creative when you start something new there is always this little fear that you might be the only one who thinks this is a great idea. It is such a great relief when you hear that other people feel the same way about it as you do.

HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE YOUR BRAND STANDS OUT

Honestly I don't really try to do that. I just try to continue making things I feel good about. But I try to make things and feature things that pair well with each other and I think it has been the curation that has drawn most people in. that and our fun TACOS hats ;)

WHAT OTHER ARTISTS HAVE YOU LOVED COLLABORATING WITH

Well my favorite collaboration has been with CurryBeth. Since I started designing clothes over 10 years ago I have always wanted to create a line of minimalistic linen clothing. When I finally had the courage to meet up with CurryBeth who was doing her own clothing line and ask her to partner with me on this endeavor it was another one of those moments where I thought my idea might only really great in my head, but it has turned out to be my favorite partnership since we get to bounce designs off each other often. It has also done so well that it has been a great opportunity for the both of our brands so I hope to continue it for many years to come.

HOW IMPORTANT IS SHOPPING LOCAL TO YOU

I find it incredibly important because I am in that world so I do the very best I can to support those around me.

MUST SEE RECOMMENDATION FOR THOSE TRAVELING TO AUSTIN

Well this may sound cliche, but if you do happen to come at a good time of year seeing the bats is actually pretty cool…but Id say barton springs or getting out on ladybird lake and a quick trip through the capitol are both must sees.

WHERE CAN SUPPORTERS FIND YOUR CREATIONS

Currently you can find some of our items at: Seventh Flag Austin, Hacienda Austin, Eleanore's Coffee Corpus Christi, Antique Taco Chicago and frankiejean.com