Philippine Homegrown Fashion and Lifestyle Retailer Expands in Australia 

Frankie & Friends General Store opens its first international store in Paddington, Sydney on 30 March 2021. (Photo courtesy of Frankie & Friends General Store)

CANBERRA 01 APRIL 2021 – Philippine homegrown fashion and lifestyle retailer Frankie & Friends General Store, an intentional marketplace for a conscious and holistic lifestyle, expands in Australia with the opening of its first international store in Paddington, Sydney on 30 March 2021.

From its flagship store opening in 2018, which has grown to three centrally located stores in in the Philippines, the expansion of Frankie & Friends to Australian shores provides inspiration to small businesses who are intentional with how they create their products, falling into three categories: sustainability, slow and ethical fashion, and small-batch handmade creations. The store carries a wide range of categories from fashion pieces, home items, children’s clothing and toys, personal care, and novelty items crafted by hundreds of makers. The company’s mission is to reinvent retail through conscious consumption by cultivating a purpose-driven community of artisans, makers, social entrepreneurs, and connect more people to their stories and creations. 

“Our concept originated in the Philippines, but our company aspires to create a space where we can empower and support the culture of “shopping small” by elevating local craftsmanship around the world, regardless of the neighborhood and city we set up shop in,” said Katrina San Juan, the store manager and creative director for the Paddington store. 

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its overseas trade office in Sydney said the opening of Frankie & Friends is a testament to the capability of Philippine companies to globalize their brands while also providing a sustainable development platform for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to serve a bigger audience: the affluent and lucrative Australian lifestyle and gifting market valued at AUD20 billion. END

For more information, visit https://www.philembassy.org.au or https://www.facebook.com/PHinAustralia/.