Frankie B. for Men
“Jeans are a staple, not a trendy item that will fade out of style,” said Daniella Clarke, the designer of Frankie B.’s ultra-sexy bootleg denim jeans for women.
Clarke, who recently expanded the line to include other sportswear pieces, plans to launch her first men’s denim line for Spring.
“A lot of men’s clothes are boring and basic,” Clarke said. “That’s how I started the women’s line—I thought there was a hole in the market for really tight, really sexy and really low denim.”
Clarke, whose Los Angeles-based company estimates it will earn $7 million in annual sales this year, said the new men’s division represents a natural progression for the brand. And, it harks back to early in Clarke’s career when her first designs were created for her husband, former Guns N’ Roses rocker Gilby Clarke, and his bandmates.
For the new line, Frankie B. translates its denim for women into a 10-piece collection for men that incorporates some of the same essential concepts, sans the ultra-low-rise cut.
Basic styles come in denim, corduroy and leather, and some include intricate patchwork paneling or wash treatments. The collection also offers denim and corduroy shirts with Western styling and jackets, which come in denim shearling or corduroy with fleece lining. Wholesale price points for the items range from $54 for basic denim to $65 for a denim/corduroy shirt.
The collection is more in tune to the denim of the late ’60s Woodstock era than the kind of body-hugging denim featured on the cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Sticky Fingers” album from the early ’70s, Clarke said. “It’s still rock ’n’ roll, but not as tight as my women’s line. It’s more updated, with an edgy feel to it,” she added.
Deliveries for Spring begin Oct. 31, with specialty store distribution to Theodore, Traffic, Fred Segal, Patricia Field, Neiman Marcus and Henri Bendel. Clarke projects sales for the line will hit the $1 million mark in its first year.
“The men’s line is a challenge for me and exciting, so I’m going forward with it,” Clarke said.
Frankie B.’s showrooms are located in Los Angeles, New York and London. For more information, call (213) 624-5411 or visit the Sue Goodman Showroom, suite B-504 in the California Mart. —Claudia Figueroa
