Frankie is a Fashion Buying and Brand Management student striving to become a voice in the shift from fast fashion to slow fashion. Alongside their work at Snow Peak, they conduct crochet workshops and explores London and the UK on their bike.
Follow Frankie on Instagram @nanafrank__
Crochet fairy who loves the outdoors.
Tell us a bit about your city’s climate. What are your three favorite spots - in the summer, in the winter (outside)? What is your favorite method of transportation and why? How do you prep for bad weather if you spend time outside?
London lives up to the UK stereotype; you can genuinely get all seasons in one day. I love cycling down to Cutty Sark and sitting by the river, Greenwich Park in the summer, and Epping forest, especially during autumn for prime mushroom spotting. I love looping around London, cycling to East London for some coffee and cake at Jolene, to then sit at Victoria Park and heading down to Seabass Cycles in Peckham to end the day with some bike chats.
The best way to get around the city is cycling. It makes the city feel smaller, and you can appreciate London more. You can see London in a different way, and the cycling culture is great.
I’m a big advocate for maintenance. I make sure my techwear is washed and maintained, way before I need it for a long adventure. I’m also a fan of a crochet bonnet/balaclava. Super lightweight and great for emergencies. Working for Snow Peak, I always encourage new campers to carry ultralight gear. It’s important to have a lightweight down jacket and a waterproof layer for the just in case moments. You can never predict what’s going to happen, and the last thing you want is to be freezing and wet in a tent!
What are you wearing today? Why are you wearing it, and did you have a particular weather scenario in mind when choosing this piece? What do you love most about your GORE-TEX product?
I am wearing my Montane Windjammer gloves. It gets pretty cold while riding, especially now that the seasons are changing. I throw it on for winter rides since it’s windproof and it’s an essential for bikepacking trips. Bikepacking across Scotland was pretty windy, and it was helpful to have the gloves for early mornings and reaching camp.
I love how reliable this piece is. Now that I’ve worn the leather it’s moulded into the riding position of my hands, which is funny.
Where and when did you get this... Do you have any special memories connected to this item? If you could go anywhere, where would you like to take this piece?
I got these gloves on my lunch break at work, frantically looking for a pair since it got too cold, and my other gloves weren’t cutting it anymore. London temperatures had dropped so low that my hands couldn’t hack the cold when riding. Wish I could share a more exciting story, but I just bought them out of urgency aha. I would love to do cycling trips abroad, so I would love to take these with me then. I’d love to tour across Ireland and Wales, and these gloves would be perfect for that occasion.
Why do you think functional clothing has gotten more popular in recent years?
I think the increasing concerns over climate change and the impact of the fashion industry on the planet has pushed people to explore functional clothing a lot more. People are finding value in buying clothes with a purpose. Due to climate change, we’re experiencing more extreme and varied weathers, which we haven’t experienced before. This increases demand for technical clothing which allows people to feel comfortable and confident outdoors – whether they’re in the city or on expeditions. And now that functional clothing has had a lot more interest and investment, garments have been designed with styles and trends in mind as a knock-on effect.
How do you define the term “comfort” in clothing, in particular technical apparel?
For me, a comfortable piece of technical clothing is one that works for the purpose I need it for and more. Comfortable techwear enhances natural performance to allow you to have a smooth and safe experience in the outdoors. Comfort is staying cool, even if you’re running around, dry even if it’s torrential raining. It’s being able to trust your garments' performance and durability.
What are you looking for in the next six months and what challenges do you see that you’re excited about?
I’m looking forward to planning more shoots and community activations for Nana Frank. I’ve been exploring natural dyes a lot more and looking forward to taking more classes! I’m hoping to ride a century by the end of this year, so it would definitely be a challenge but I’m looking forward to it.
