Amelie & Frank's
We do not make much under our own name and we are not trying to. There is very little point in a boutique built on other people's craft producing an inferior version of it. So when we do make something it has to be better than what we could buy in.
The cashmere throws were the first. Hand-combed Inner Mongolian fibre, which means the soft undercoat taken by hand and the coarse guard hairs left on the animal. Slower and more expensive than shearing and machine-sorting, and it is the reason these do not pill.
Everything else here follows the same rule. A wide-brim hat for the sun coming off the water in the afternoon. An umbrella at a hundred and forty centimetres because most are too small. Made to a specification we wanted rather than one that was available.
Amelie & Frank's, in short
What does Amelie & Frank's make under its own name?
Very little, deliberately. Hand-combed Inner Mongolian cashmere throws, a wide-brim hat, an oversized umbrella and our gift cards. We only make something when we cannot buy in a version we would rather sell.
What is hand-combed cashmere?
The soft undercoat is taken from the goat by hand and the coarse guard hairs are left on the animal. It is slower and more expensive than shearing and machine sorting the fibres apart afterwards, and it is the reason these throws do not pill the way cheaper cashmere does.
Where can you buy Amelie & Frank's own label?
Only from us. Online with complimentary shipping on orders over $100 Australia-wide, and in person at Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula.
Questions, answered
Why does a boutique make its own products at all?
There is very little point in a shop built on other people's craft producing an inferior version of it. So the rule is simple. We only make something if it is better than anything we could buy in, and if it is not, we buy it in.
How should I care for a cashmere throw?
Air it rather than wash it wherever possible. When it does need washing, use cold water and a wool detergent, do not wring it, and dry it flat and out of the sun. A little shedding in the first few wears is the fibres relaxing and is a sign of real cashmere rather than a fault.
Why is the umbrella that size?
A hundred and forty centimetres, because most umbrellas are too small to keep two people dry and we could not find one made to a specification we actually wanted.
Do you sell gift cards?
Yes, in any amount, and they can be used online or in the boutique. They arrive in the same wrapping as everything else.
Do you offer complimentary shipping?
Yes, on orders over $100 Australia-wide, wrapped by hand at Red Hill.
Amelie & Frank's Gift Card
