Dictionary definition, from old German. Pronounced 'FRR-ARM': Noble, person 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 & Emmalou Hussey with some grown-up help from Nick's best friend since childhood, Jason. FRAHM do everything except cut and sew the jackets from their little office near Bath, Somerset.
Jason and Nick have known each other since primary school. They drew cartoons in each other's text books, growing up in a gypsum mining village in Nottinghamshire. They got smashed out of their stupid minds in clubs across The North, shared tragedy together, even shared best man's duties at each other's weddings. Now both live in Somerset. Emmalou & Nick have been together almost as long.
Nick's work is exhibited in the Design Museum in London and The Victoria & Albert Musuem. It has won international awards, beating the mega-brands.
FRAHM 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. They want to design jackets and build a company they're proud of. That means better jackets.
They're not trying to be a massive corporation. They don't make many jackets and don't want to - less pressure and a kinder life. Customers pre-order to reserve the exact jacket they wanted, before it's gone. They give you 20% off for that, to say thanks.
It's not just about making & selling stuff. FRAHM don't see men's brands that reflect their 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.
Why all this? In 2017 Nick suffered a nervous breakdown that made me suicidal. He's 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' mental health charities, donating £10 from every jacket we sell. We work with them to promote better men's mental health. I
wrote this blog for them.
A note from Nick...
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.
