After launching “Kate Spade New York” in 1993, the trio comprised of Kate Spade, her husband Andy Spade, and her beloved friend Elyce Arons launched their new colorful brand: “Frances Valentine” in 2016. Currently, Frances Valentine has 5 shops located in New York, Palm Beach, Sag Harbor, Houston and Southampton.
Frances Valentine’s Southampton storefront marks the brand’s fifth store! Located on Southampton’s coveted Jobs Lane.
“We set out to create a modern lifestyle brand with a joyful perspective. At Frances Valentine we believe personal style is a mood-boosting, conversation-sparking, confidence-building celebration of a life well lived,” said Elyce Arons about Frances Valentine.
The store offers unique, vintage-modern pieces with a mid-century decor with colorful vintage rugs in true Frances Valentine fashion, all in a clean and vibrant space.
Frances Valentine Founder, Elyce Arons spoke to Hamptons.com about the new store in Southampton, fashion trends, and the Hamptons.
How would you define your brand identity?
EA: Frances Valentine makes fashion feel fun again with clothes and accessories that transcend trends and spark joy. We are known for our use of bold color and prints, classic silhouettes and creation of legendary style.
How would you depict the brand nowadays- and how did it evolve through the years?
EA: We launched Frances Valentine with handbags and footwear, but beginning in 2019 we added jewelry, apparel and other accessories. It all happened organically, with our customers requesting pieces from the styling in our campaign photoshoots. I love clothes, especially vintage pieces with history, so it was an easy request to fill!
Does your brand name have a specific meaning?
EA: Frances and Valentine are family names put together to symbolize a woman. She is your best friend, favorite aunt, your sister, daughter or mother. That amazing, funny, inspirational, optimistic woman in your life.
What is a typical workday for you?
EA: I am a farm girl, so I still wake up at 5:30 or 6:00 AM every day. I read my newspapers (WWD, BOF and WSJ) and then head into work around 8:30 AM. Every day is different, but our team has a schedule and a rhythm. It depends on the season, but we could be designing spring, showing fall to wholesalers, and selling summer all at the same time! Most of my days are a combination of design, marketing, retail, wholesale or general business meetings, and I love every minute of it!
Can you tell us your favorite product from Frances Valentine?
EA: I love everything in our collections, but one of my go-to pieces is my wool fisherman sweater. It is a classic!
What is one of your favorite fashion trends right now?
EA: Pickleball! We just made really fun paddles with our floral explosion print on them.
Can you tell us why you decided to open a store here in Southampton?
EA: Southampton feels like home to me because I spend so much time here. We have had our house here since 2001, but were renters long before that. The thing I love the most is the friendly community in Southampton – every neighbor near our store came in to say hello, good luck, and that they are glad we are here. So nice!
What do you like about the Hamptons? And what do you do while you are there?
EA: I think my favorite thing about the Hamptons is the light at the end of the day – it is almost pink. One can completely understand why so many artists moved here. Mostly I garden, cook, go to the beach, and play tennis when not working.
What inspired you to choose such colorful and floral designs for your stores?
EA: Our stores are actually pretty simple in design because most of our products are so colorful and bold!
What’s next for you and Frances Valentine?
EA: We have so many plans for the future. We are working on a lot of things that will be a surprise next year, but this year we have a few more new stores planned and we just launched our beach pieces (beach umbrella, beach chair, beach towels, and pool float). We have new things coming all summer and fall!
To shop Frances Valentine, visit FrancesValentine.com
