Frank & Eileen Shirt Pub opened in Tokyo, May 2014. Frank & Eileen, a shirt brand that is “born in Ireland, woven in Italy and made in sunny California.” The shirts are a unique combination of classic Italian quality and cool Californian craftsmanship. The romantic Irish theme is founder, Audrey McLoghlin’s, story of her Irish heritage. The shop is inspired by a traditional Irish pub, a welcoming place to stop on the way home from work for a pint, craic – and some shirts. The cash wrap is modeled on a classic Irish bar backed by pub mirrors, with a couple of beer taps at one end serving imported Irish beer. There is the full range of Frank & Eileen shirts for lads and lasses, which when purchased are carefully wrapped in the brand’s tissue paper, printed to mimic a vintage Irish newspaper. Audrey worked with Cool Gray Seven to develop the branding, and even the shop sign draws on the Irish Claddagh ring symbolizing ‘love, loyalty and friendship’.
The Shopkeeper
Audrey McLoghlin fell in love with retail as a high school student working at Gap and J Crew stores in Atlanta. An engineering college graduate, she moved to Boston to work at an MIT technology start up. After two years in Boston she was still intrigued by the apparel industry, so in the late 90’s Audrey relocated to LA. Within a year she opened her first women’s fashion shop, Una, in Manhattan Beach. Within seven years Audrey was running four shops, as well as designing and wholesaling her own line, Aude. She partnered with Ron Herman to launch Frank & Eileen, a collection of woven shirts, and realized quickly that she had created something special. It was the end of 2008, a difficult economic time for all business owners, so Audrey closed the Una shops to focus on Frank & Eileen. Audrey grew the brand through wholesale and ecommerce. Frank & Eileen shirts and shirt-dresses are available in 250 specialty stores across the US and in Neiman Marcus stores. In 2014 a catalog was introduced to coincide with the launch of the redesigned website. The Tokyo ‘Shirt Pub’ was awarded ‘Best Retail Concept 2015’ by Fashion Group International. As the brand continues to expand, Spring 2016 sees the launch of Tee Lab, a Frank & Eileen knit collection.
On the Future of Retail Shops
“Shops create a lifestyle to experience the brand. Once you have visited the Frank & Eileen Shirt Pub, each time you wear a shirt or buy one online you feel that experience again”.
2-28-4 Sendagaya, Shibuyaku, Tokyo
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