Auckland sisters Ashley and Courtney, along with their fashion-savvy mother, Susan Herbert, teamed together over five years ago with their mix of skills to create their own clothing label, French Freddie.
Susan had previously worked in the fashion industry and, over that time, acquired a killer wardrobe that her daughters would raid since they were teenagers. For Ashley, she has been fashion-obsessed since day one and grew opinions about outfits from just a toddler. In contrast, Courtney is said to be the marketing and customer service wizz. As a team, their skills complement one another in order to obtain a successful fashion business.
Their fashion label started primarily for themselves as a way to create some core items for their own wardrobe, mainly consisting of top half items like shirts, jumpers and jackets. From there, their label has grown and flourished into what it is today.
“There were some core items we just couldn’t seem to find in our own wardrobes, so we decided to create them.”
The trio tend to avoid what is trending as they prefer to stick to timeless designs they know and love. As opposed to oversized items, they prefer to offer unique tailored garments with stand-out detailing that will pair well with the bottom half, whether it be jeans or dress pants.
What is most important to them with their design process is their choice of fabrics. They are drawn to luxurious, soft materials that allow people to look put together while also being comfortable.
Their inspiration comes from many places, but often through people-watching when they are out and about. They analyse the details of an outfit and wonder from there how they can elevate it to make it their own. Their motivation is to put clothes out to the world that people will reach for time and time again knowing they will always look and feel good when they wear them.
Their latest collection consists of satin shirts with striking colours to compliment all skin tones, one of which includes a versatile cuff that can be worn three different ways. In the future, as the company grows, they hope to expand its size range so they can become more inclusive.
They advise anyone wanting to step into the fashion industry to acquire good business skills. Everything beyond design is just as essential to growing a successful business, they expressed. They also believe in following your passion while being prepared to work hard and accept all the ups and downs that come with it, it will be worth it in the end.
“The thrill of finally seeing the final product and then seeing people out in the wild wearing our clothes is a feeling like no other."
