Frances Lowe
Designer & Co-Founder — Loclaire
Frances Lowe is the designer and co-founder of a sustainable fashion label, Loclaire. With extensive experience that includes six years in various roles at Ruby and then some time as a Product Developer at H&M in Shanghai, as of last year Frances came to a decision to slow down and make changes in the industry — and that's how Loclaire was born. Some of the pieces very quickly turned into wardrobe staples of fashion lovers, both locally and internationally.
In this interview, Frances opens up about how naivety helped her get the brand off the ground, plans for Loclaire's future and her outlook on social media and the importance of everyday routine.
Hi Frances, can you tell us a little something about you and your life pre-Loclaire?
I’m born and bred in Auckland, but with Chinese parents and an exemplary tiger mum, my childhood consisted of learning a million musical instruments, ballet and art classes, and taking extra maths lessons after school. I was really good at music and when I was younger I thought I would become a classical musician. Instead, I went on to study Architecture at university, realising after my degree that this also was not going to be my path.
My mum is very skilled at patchwork – which basically teaches you very precise sewing techniques. As I became enamoured in clothes and fashion, she taught me the basics of sewing, and I started on my own little projects. I bought tops from The Warehouse and sewed little extra bits onto them, I unpicked old clothes I didn’t fit anymore and discovered what the pieces looked like apart and how they were put together. I got my foot in the door by interning at Ruby, eventually staying on for around six years, moving through a few roles in the design and production departments. In 2016, my partner Adi and I moved to Shanghai. Long story short I was quite homesick, and we moved back home two years later to start Loclaire.
Where does the brand name come from?
It is a mix of my last name Lowe and my middle name Claire.
That’s cool. We would love to know when you first developed a love for designing and sustainable fashion?
I have always loved designing and creating since I was a kid – whether it be in art, fashion, music or dance. It’s something my parents have always encouraged in me, which I am really thankful for.
I only became extremely aware and passionate about sustainability in fashion when I was living in Shanghai. I worked as a Product Developer at H&M, and this coupled with living in a city of 26 million – the sheer scale and pace of everything just blew my mind. It made me pine for slow, quality goods with a lighter impact on our earth. The further I researched our industry’s state the more I couldn’t stop reading – it was almost addictive. Loclaire was born with no other option – you can’t unlearn these truths.
How did you initially get your brand off the ground?
With the best support crew and a good dash of naivety! Although I have a lot of industry experience, I am not inherently business-minded, and jumping in semi-blind was probably the only way I could have done it. My parents and Adi have been unconditionally generous towards our story so far and I can’t thank them enough.
Are you able to share some of your proudest moments with Loclaire so far?
Every sale, every nice comment and like feels so huge for me still. Earlier this year I spotted my first Loclaire piece on a stranger and that was a really special ‘pinch me’ moment.
That’s amazing. It must feel good to see your designs out and about. Let’s talk social media! Can you tell us about your relationship to social media and how do you use it as a tool for your business?
My personal social media has definitely taken a back step whilst trying to get our business one going. I have unfollowed quite a few people over the years – I have no time for people who feel inauthentic or get you down. Social media for Loclaire is a different beast – I am very conscious that it reflects our brand identity and story, as well as having huge potential for growing our following. Apart from using Preview app to plan regular posts on Instagram and Facebook, I have a pretty basic set up. I feel like I could spend 24/7 working on improving our social/digital presence but I just don’t have the time or resources for this at the moment.
Social media can be so time-consuming for sure. Frances, now we are down to the fun bits. You have beautiful skin, Can you share your beauty/skincare routine with us?
Mornings are very simple — I wash my face just with water (I have found a lot of face washes are too drying for my skin in the morning). I use Goodness Twice-A-Day Eye Cream and moisturize with Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel.
At night, I wash my face with Cetaphil Restoraderm. After shower, if it is hot or humid, I will use Kiehl’s Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic. I combine Trilogy CoQ10 Booster Oil with their Rosapene Radiance Serum and massage this into my face and neck (I find mixing them helps the oil apply more evenly), and then finish using the Goodness Twice-A-Day Eye Cream and Trilogy Rosapene Night Cream. I like that this is a thicker cream that keeps my skin hydrated overnight.
On a visit to South Korea I obviously got sucked into their skincare obsession. Around once a fortnight, I will exfoliate – my favourite go to is NeoGen Gentle Gauze Bio Peel in red wine flavour. These smell so delicious and my skin feels so refreshed and clean after using them. I also love using Suisai Beauty Clear Powder. My Aunty in Hong Kong bought me my first pack of these – and as I couldn’t read the Chinese instructions on the back I had no idea what it was or how to use it for the longest time. I ended up guessing and started using 3 sachets of these at a time, mixing the powder with a little water and applied as a face mask – and they felt SO good. My skin literally feels reborn when it washes off. When I was living in Shanghai I finally used my Chinese dictionary app to translate it and it turns out it’s basically a face wash, but I’m converted to still using it as a mask. Finally, I have a huge stockpile of masks from South Korea and Shanghai – just cheap ones from places such as Innisfree or Skinfood – these are the perfect treat for a Friday night in.
And your makeup routine?
I keep my make up pretty minimal. I don’t wear any foundation, and my everyday look consists just of Glossier Boy Brow in Black brushed upwards, and a flick of Glossier Lash Slick. I have straight Asian lashes and I recently discovered a life hack that sleeping with my eyemask positioned a certain way naturally curls them really nicely overnight, and it holds for the whole next day.
In evenings or if I have an event to go to, for a stronger brow I will add Bobbi Brown Brow Pencil in Brunette before Boy Brow. For my eyes, I will draw a subtle liquid eyeliner cats eye; currently, I am still using a very cheap chemist brand from Shanghai which I stocked up on – it has the finest tiniest pen tip so draws very precise. I use Lancome Hypnose Mascara which is great for curl and volume. For a bit of colour, I apply Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam to the apples of my cheeks. I don’t often wear a lip colour these days, but if I do — I love lip tints (another love from South Korea). I use Dear Darling Tint from Etude House in OR201 (more natural) or OR204 (more red). Etude House is a cheap but a household name in South Korea and these apply as a nice light stain – I apply this at the centre of my lips and smudge it outwards. They’re perfect for an undone, non-drawn on look.
What about your hair, what do you use for it and how do you style it?
I have very fine hair, and not a lot of it, and so it is one of the things I am most self-conscious about. I only wash it twice a week (which is hard with fine hair) and trim it regularly. The night before washing, I apply a home-made hair oil mask to sleep in – at the moment this consists of castor oil and argan oil. I have tried variations over the years with jojoba, avocado, rosemary, and sometimes a drop of peppermint oil. I wash my hair with Aveda Invati Advanced Shampoo and Conditioner and then use Kevin Murphy Body Mass as a leave-in spray afterwards.
I love the idea of wearing my hair out with a centre part, but as my hair is quite thin at the top I can only really do this if I’ve just washed it. It is more often than not in a high pony or loose bun.
The best advice you’ve been told?
Sameness breeds sameness until you make a thoughtful act to counteract this (read from Becoming by Michelle Obama).
And how do you keep fit - both physically and spiritually?
I find creating good habits really helpful. Breakfast is a no-phone time for me; I mostly start the day with homemade muesli and a cup of Thea Organics matcha. I will go out for a run or walk most evenings, and I love reading before bed, as it takes me into another world and stops me thinking about work so much.
My incredible friend Sophie of Crossing Paths is also a big help - she teaches blended yoga, pilates and meditation classes, and more recently has started taking sound bath healing classes. I went to my first one of these late last year and it was a totally new experience for me – the sound vibrations from the crystal bowls are very meditative and reach deep inside your body – I found it both energising and relaxing at the same time.
What’s next for Loclaire?
There are so many things I want to do. Last year our energy was totally focused on launching Loclaire; this year it’s about growing our presence. I would love to spend more time on side projects, focusing on other things like empowering our community or thinking more creatively about our waste. I also want to put in place a proper sustainability roadmap to give us a framework for the future.
In production, I am spending a lot of time on fabric sourcing – with sourcing through New Zealand suppliers I have found it pretty hard to find fabrics that meet our ethical and environmental standards. I’m continuously working on this and building up a little fabric library that I can rely on using season after season – such as certified organic cottons, ZQ certified merinos and Lenzing brand tencels.
Your top picks:
Currently reading: Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney
Favourite podcast: The Dave Chang Show
Favourite place to dine and unwind in Auckland: Depot Eatery
A hidden gem in the city: Welfare (a cheap home-style Cantonese restaurant out East)
A book you’d like to recommend: A standout book from last year was The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Interview — Zeenat Wilkinson
Intro — Irina Sviatskaia
Photography — Ophelia King
