9 to 5 Frankie Shop Gaelle Drevet

In the 10 years since The Frankie Shop opened its doors on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York, spotting its streamlined silhouettes and distinctly oversized-yet-structured styles has become a common occurrence while strolling around the city’s buzziest neighborhoods. The padded Eva muscle top makes multiple appearances at Sunday brunches in Tribeca. Its boxy boyfriend blazers command meetings from Midtown to the Financial District, and you’re likely to find one of its signature sharp coats on winter walks around SoHo. 

Many of The Frankie Shop’s pieces have become closet staples among the city’s most stylish women, all thanks to the brand’s unique blend of ‘90s clean-cut minimalism and ‘80s boldness that embodies the style ethos of today’s modern woman: smart, straightforward, with a touch of nonchalance. Hence, it’s a no-brainer that Frankie—aptly coined by its cult-following of #FrankieGirls—is deeply embedded in the DNA of its founder, Gaëlle Drevet, a New Yorker by way of Paris who epitomizes effortless French girl chic with city sophistication

A Paris-native and former journalist by profession, Drevet’s pursuit of opening The Frankie Shop started as most small-time ventures in downtown Manhattan do: an American dream. “It was an immigration story,” she quipped. “I was trying to make it back to the US from London, where I was there for a little bit, and then I was like, you know what, I’m just gonna start my own thing, my own business.” 

Drevet, who has loved fashion since childhood—boasting a wide collection of Vogue issues from the ‘90s that she keeps to this day—felt that workwear, specifically for women, adhered closely to patriarchal norms and conventions, lacking the representation that resonated with women in the workforce. “Everything felt really contrived. Everything felt like I was following a male-driven business attire, and I noticed there wasn’t [a brand] that spoke to women per se.”

After contemplating her next steps, Drevet and a friend traveled to India to source quality materials and skilled tailors. Slowly, she curated a collection that she believed resonated with the strong and powerful women of today. “I wanted women to dress on their own terms, only for herself as opposed for other people,” she tells Vogue.