Faith Bites

March 19, 2009

Frankie’s Style

Frankie (Junior Buyer)

Best describe your job role:  I currently buy Courts, Flats, Flip Flops and Woods and Raffia at Faith. My job is to develop and build fashionable and commercial ranges, based on key trends, current trade reactions and past history reactions to suit our Faith customer. You have to be very organised and on the ball, no day is the same! Key parts of my job include analysis of past weeks/current trade, building and developing ranges with suppliers and the team at Faith, negotiating prices, confirming samples and most enjoyable of all travelling both to trade shows abroad, to supplier factories for development meetings and on inspiration trips.

My style is best described as: I try not to have one particular style as I easily get bored with my wardrobe. I usually like to have a few of the latest key pieces and dress nearly everything, whether smart or casual back with my black leather jacket.

This style icon always has the best shoes, bags and/or accessories… I usually keep an eye on Daisy Lowe and Agyness Deyn, but Lily Allen usually always has a lovely pair of Louboutin’s on or cute Chanel handbag on her arm!

Daisy and Agyness are always interesting and very high fashion. I try to interpret their looks – even if it is down to a print or colour that they are wearing and incorporate it into my range, adapting it to suit our customer. Lily Allen’s accessories are usually fashionable, commercial and girlie and this works for our customer.

My favourite Spring/Summer 09 item is… Jetal – an embellished gladiator flip flop, very key for the summer and easy to dress up and down!

On my Spring/Summer 09 Wish List is… Catador – She is beautiful, I love her!!!  She is a purple suede platform court shoe with black satin lace up ribbon, sexy, girlie and cute all in one shoe!

My favourite Faith item ever is…I have two, it is very hard to have one, when you work with shoes all day!!!  Chigwell and Ciera – both of these styles have been bought in various colours and all of them are gorgeous!!!  I love them so much that I have had both made up in ivory as my wedding shoes!!!

The Spring/Summer 09 trend/story I like best is… Again, I can’t choose one!!!  I love both Intimate Journey and City Club.

I love Intimate Journey as the story is all about casual leathers, ethnic beading, embellishment and spicy colours and works really well for my flip flops, flats, woods and raffia packages, also the key pieces for this story came from a great inspiration trip to St. Tropez which was brilliant!  City Club is great for our sexy, sophisticated platforms and new shapes and lines – I love the colour palette and have used this story to influence the courts, woods and raffia ranges.

My fashion advice is…  The key is making sure you feel comfortable and confident in whatever you are wearing!