Dictionary definition, from old German. Pronounced 'FR-ARM': Noble, man of good character
FRAHM make tougher, more beautifully detailed jackets, for your real world. A world as tough as it is beautiful. We talk about both.
The Who & Why of FRAHM:
FRAHM was founded in 2018 by Nick (me, hi!) & Emmalou Hussey with some grown-up help from my best friend since childhood, Jason. We do everything except cut and sew the jackets from our little office near Bath, Somerset.
Jason and I've known each other since primary school. We drew cartoons in each other's text books, growing up in a gypsum mining village in Nottinghamshire. We got smashed out of our stupid minds in clubs across The North, shared tragedy together, even shared best man's duties at each other's weddings. Now we both live in Somerset.
Emmalou & I have been together almost as long. We're unable to communicate between the three of us without ripping the piss out of each other. As is traditional amongst British friends.
FRAHM make tougher, more beautifully detailed jackets, for your real world. A world as tough as it is beautiful. We talk about both.
The Who & Why of FRAHM:
FRAHM was founded in 2018 by Nick (me, hi!) & Emmalou Hussey with some grown-up help from my best friend since childhood, Jason. We do everything except cut and sew the jackets from our little office near Bath, Somerset.
Jason and I've known each other since primary school. We drew cartoons in each other's text books, growing up in a gypsum mining village in Nottinghamshire. We got smashed out of our stupid minds in clubs across The North, shared tragedy together, even shared best man's duties at each other's weddings. Now we both live in Somerset.
Emmalou & I have been together almost as long. We're unable to communicate between the three of us without ripping the piss out of each other. As is traditional amongst British friends.
Lily Dog & I, hiding from rubbish jackets. Emmalou & Jason really hate having their photo taken - god knows I've tried. (I'm wearing a Woodland Worker's Jacket, by the way).
Now we've set up FRAHM together in Somerset, because we love building things, we wanted a kinder, simpler life, and we're completely obsessed by jackets.
My work is exhibited in the Design Museum in London and The Victoria & Albert Musuem. It has won international awards, beating the mega-brands. It been recommended in Esquire, GQ, the New York Times, Wallpaper, Monocle, Outside, The Guardian, Shortlist and others. My mum is proud.
We feel jackets from the big brands don't do what they're supposed to. If they're technical, they're poorly tailored & detailed. Yet if they're stylish they don't have technical performance or longevity. There is little innovation and not enough value. We want to design jackets and build a company we're proud of. That means better jackets. we love making tough & beautiful things, but good people. We don't work with dicks.
We're not trying to be a massive corporation. We don't make many jackets. We don't want to - less pressure and a kinder life. So our customers pre-order to reserve the exact jacket they wanted, before it's gone. We give you 20% off for that, to say thanks. You're helping us after all, so we should help you.
It's not just about making & selling stuff. We don't see men's brands that reflect our values. Its all too perfect and unreachable. That is damaging. We're not all skinny, muscular and driving Lamborghinis around Monaco. Real life can be as tough as it is beautiful. Sometimes, it can be horrifically tough or transcendentally beautiful.
Why all this? In 2017 I suffered a nervous breakdown that made me suicidal. I am, I hope, completely honest and direct about that, because it helps others. If we say this stuff, it de-stigmatises opening up about it and talking is vital.
So FRAHM is officially 'In Aid Of' Mind, the mental health charity. We give £10 from every jacket we sell to Mind. We work with them to promote better men's mental health. I wrote this blog for them.
You can hear my first podcast that launched FRAHM here. The how & why in what I hope is an inspiring and positive (as it can be) way. I tell it all, from success to failure, depression, the lowest points, the recovery & trying again; using everything I'd learnt to create FRAHM, kinder to me, kinder to others, better, stronger, more contented.
If/when you get a FRAHM Jacket, we hope you get to explore life's beauty and even toughness in all its fascinating diversity.
Even if you're not a customer, we hope you enjoy the slightly inspiring / kind / amusing / distracting / thought-provoking stuff we're building here on our blog & podcasts. We hope you find a better way to negotiate the tough and find the beautiful.
Take care,
Nick - founder & designer
