As we built FRAHM a number of seemingly disparate but, as it turns out, related concepts and concerns kept rolling around our heads and conversations. We wanted to create FRAHM as a different kind of men’s brand, that was a bit more mature, a lot more real, and reflected the way we saw the world…Hopefully with positivity and kindness, but not disappearing up it’s own arse.

Masculinity seems a bit lost. With the frightening increase in depression and suicides, the calling out of the scumbags who had it coming by the Me Too movement and some very contradictory messages about what being a Real Man is; amongst many necessary changes it feels like we need to offer a carrot as well as the stick (the stick is very valid, but we’re not very good at sticks).

What takes the best of the old (what are these better things?) and makes it a more decent, more representative version of what more (not all) men are like now? Well, our mates are like anyway. Good people.

Most men are good, kind, loving, gentle, creative, romantic, and sometimes a bit lost and sad. I cry. You cry. Unfortunately many men are still total dicks. It’s the dicks who shout loudest, troll hardest, choose to fight not talk, and hurt not help. The dicks are ruining it for the rest of us, tearing the world down, as ever.

Dicks are hurting others and the good ones are hurting themselves. Hell, I’m lost.

Dicks will never been brought round by more anger (thinking about social media here, especially). Nobody listens to someone shouting in your face. Algorithms are forcing us to spend time in our opinion ghettos, floating further and further away from the middle ground, into hate and fear. The internet is buggering it all up. But we like it. Arrgggh, so many contradictions.

It has to stop. What can bring us together and allow compromise and understanding, whilst not being DULLLL, but actually enjoyable? What model can offer the interwebs a new paradigm?

A pub. Yep.

Pubs aren’t just for getting pissed. They bring people closer. Often strangers. That can help change the world a tiny bit. Pubs used to mix different people together in a close environment. We coalessed, not in utopian harmony, but we could agree to disagree. You don’t shout at strangers in a pub. Bad things will happen. That is fair. These rules barely apply in the twittersphere.

In pubs we would come across different interests, politics, morals even. You could have a good chat, even an argument, laugh about it (a bit) and still walk out with a handshake and a minimum of some manners at the end. Most importantly, you felt connected to the world, your fellow human beings and you even got the chance to offload that heavy stuff that was weighing you down.

That’s the stuff that makes us happy. That saves lives. That we live for. Isn’t it?

What happened to that? Why are all the pubs closing? We’re all knackered, skint, busy, tired, on Netflix, nursing babies. Just modern life, much of it progress and lovely. But some important stuff got lost in the process.

Pubs aren’t about getting pissed. This isn’t about booze. My dad is an alcoholic. I’m no fan of getting razzed to the eyeballs, though I have. We probably all have! For us, pubs are about the space to be yourself, to escape your worries, to connect with surprising people, new ideas, maybe meet someone you’ll care about a long time, and quite often a few cathartic giggles.

Let’s build a pub for FRAHM. Fill it with humanity.

FRAHM’s pub is for everyone. Man, woman, gay, straight, young (over 18s please mate), old, flat cap and brace of pheasants or perfectly coiffed beard and a Guardian.

Creativity. Conversation. Thoughts. Opinions. Honesty. Emotion. Silliness. Interesting stuff. LIFE.

It just needs a rule. No dicks. We have been and can all be dicks. But don’t be, or you’re out. Our pub, our rules.

 …What on earth does this have to do with jackets? Not much. The jackets we make a pretty masculine. ‘Blokes’ wear jackets down the pub, or bar. Jackets are a symbol. They give out messages. The stereotypical image of a pub is male preserve, an intimidating place for many. So let’s mix it up a bit. Jackets that look masculine, under a brand that’s a bit (urk) nicer and more thoughtful, for a different age, not aggro. Pubs that accept everyone, as long as you’re not being a dick. A Pub Utopia? Nah, just a good place to be. Sensible, grown up stuff. But not too sensible. Nobody wants the over-earnest, humourless finger-wagger.

What you having? Pint of Star and ready salted please mate.

How you doing? Yea, yea, you know, usual. You?

No, how ARE you doing?