Episode 4: What Makes Jin Frati's Silk Accessories Stand Out in the Menswear Industry
Stay ahead of fashion trends with Jin Frati, who brings his 20 years of design experience and insights into the world of upscale menswear at independent retail.
Join our host, Terresa Zimmerman and guest Jin Frati of Marchesi JinFrati. Jin has been a prominent figure in the fashion industry, known for his exquisite neckwear designs and exceptional craftsmanship. As a believer and partner to independent retail stores, Jin creates bespoke collections for upscale menswear stores across North America and Europe. Jin shares his journey in the fashion industry, his expertise in creating unique neckwear collections, and the importance of customization in upscale menswear.
With a rich background working with top brands like Ralph Lauren, Jin discusses his creative process, the significance of his Italian heritage, and how he stays ahead of fashion trends.
Key topics in this episode:
-Jin Frati's business of creating collections of neckwear and designs exclusively prints
-The importance of extensive research and how it helps you stay ahead of trend in fashion
-Personalized service offering customers to print their own logos on the ties
-Understanding each customer's specific needs and preferences
-Jin's journey into the design industry and his passion for neckwear
-Evolution of technology in printing, from traditional screen printing to digital printing
-Advice for his younger self, emphasizing the importance of not taking rejections personally in the business
-Commitment to offering a unique service that allows customers to personalize and private label their products
Featured in this episodes:
Connect with Jin Frati: https://www.instagram.com/stories/marchesi_jinfrati/
Connect with Us:
Main Street Matters Podcast:
Website: www.mainstreetmatters.co
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mainstreetmatters1/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/main-street-matters/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MainStreetMatters_MSM
Host - Terresa Zimmerman:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/terresachristensonzimmerman/
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FULL TRANSCRIPT
Jin Frati: Customers that work with me come back because they were happy with what they got. Their customers were happy, and they want to continue.
Terresa Zimmerman: The ability to do that changed over time. I'm guessing technology has transformed all of that.
Jin Frati: If you show collections and a customer doesn't like what you put together, it's okay. Nothing is personal.
Terresa Zimmerman: Welcome to the Main Street Matters podcast. I'm your host, Terresa Zimmerman. Welcome to Main Street Matters. We're here with Jin Frati of Marchesi Jin Frati, designer of silk accessories from Como, Italy, for upscale menswear stores around the world. Jin is an expert in many things, perhaps silk and neckwear being foremost. Thank you for joining us, Jin. So, Jin, can we start with you telling us a little bit about your business sparked interest?
Jin Frati: Yes, thank you for having me on board. This is great. Very excited. My business has been going on for many years. I create collections of neckwear and designs exclusively prints, and I have it produced all in Cornwall, where I grew up, by one mill that is also in charge of making the actual tie by hand and pocket squares and what have you, and then ship it all directly to the affluent stores in North America, as well as some customers in Europe, Belgium, and France and what have you. This is a business that I've been doing for over 20 years, I would say at this point, and I'm having fun doing it.
Terresa Zimmerman: Well, so, tell us a little bit about the collection right now.
Jin Frati: Well, I design collections two times a season: the spring collection and the fall collections. I do a lot of research, and I feed all these ideas and research that I have to the mill in Italy. They come up with their own version and their interpretation of my concepts, and then I receive them in CAD format. From there, we make a whole bunch of changes, and looking at all the strike-offs is like the best time of my life. I enjoy making all the changes and the colors and the sizes of the actual design. That's what's fun. From there, the collection is presented to the various salesmen. I can usually say I'm a year ahead. I work on spring 2025 already, and I just started working on the design for fall 2025.
Terresa Zimmerman: Yeah. Well, and then your designing of them, I mean, how has that changed? Were you hand drawing previously, maybe you're still hand drawing.
Jin Frati: No, I'm not hand drawing much. I have to say that's not my strength. My concept is more about taking inspiration from various sources. Let's say there is a picture of a church ceiling with some big, huge medallion painted on it, and I think of that as a concept inspiration. Then I look at it and see a little tiny geometric design and think, okay, how about combining this into the same pattern? We change the sizes of both and put it all together to make a new design. That's what technology and digital printing can do for you.
Terresa Zimmerman: How can stores contact you?
Jin Frati: By emails or by phone. Or they can see whatever I post on Instagram, and I've enjoyed making sure that what's out there is what I like to see. Any requests can be sent to JinFrati@Yahoo.com, or they can call me at my cell at (514) 436-8046.
Terresa Zimmerman: Okay. And your Instagram address?
Jin Frati: The Instagram is Mark stitch in frati.
Terresa Zimmerman: Excellent. So, just to say, you were asking me about history. Mark is a noble title, which to some extent is part of my family history. The little crest we have on the tip of the tie is from my mother's ring.
Terresa Zimmerman: Oh, that's beautiful.
Jin Frati: So it is. It's part of the family.
Terresa Zimmerman: That's beautiful, an extra special touch.
Jin Frati: We're no longer marquees, obviously, because of all the changes with the Italian tax system generations ago. I think the last Marquis was probably my grandmother.
Terresa Zimmerman: I think having a little bit of your mom on every single tie you make out there in the world makes it quite special.
Jin Frati: Yeah, well, she was a creative lady.
Terresa Zimmerman: That's awesome. So, bonus question two. What would you want to be known for with your customers? If I went and talked to one of your customers, what would you want them to say about you?
Jin Frati: The provider of an exclusive service that puts a name on their own product. If that's the case, then I would have achieved my goal.
Terresa Zimmerman: Nice. Well, I think they're also going to say you're an awful lot of fun.
Terresa Zimmerman: That's great. So you've got that translation on that end, and then you've got to translate your vision once you get it back to the manufacturer, to your stores that you're selling to.
Jin Frati: That's correct.
Terresa Zimmerman: Is that just as easy as it is with the manufacturers?
Jin Frati: Well, it isn't and it isn't. There is a big variety of customers that I deal with. All the customers I work with have a specific view about what their store is. I build collections that have maybe 60, 70 designs each season. Some designs are for certain stores, some are for others. When a customer comes to see me, they know they can get an exclusive look for themselves, and they'll find something that resonates with them and not necessarily with the store nearby or the next customer I would see. It's about making it somewhat exclusive to individual areas of North America.
Terresa Zimmerman: So are you saying then that when you're designing, you sometimes have specific customers in mind?
Jin Frati: Sure. Certain designs make me think, "Oh yeah, that would be beautiful for so-and-so." There has been an ongoing relationship with the customers I've been working with for a number of years, and I have an understanding of what they are looking for, what changes they want to see from season to season. Some customers are ready for showing something different, while others prefer more of the same in different colors because their own customers are more conservative or set in their ways. You have to have a balance in the collection—something the customer will love and something they won't buy. It's like always having to have yellow on your rack just to draw people to it.
Terresa Zimmerman: And then the tougher question, what advice would you have for your younger self starting out in this business now?
Jin Frati: It's an advice that I received many years ago from a great friend of mine who was involved in sales all his life. He said, "If you can get rejections and not get upset, then you'll survive."
Terresa Zimmerman: Did he give you any advice on how to not get upset?
Jin Frati: Just don't take it personally. If you show a collection and the customer doesn't like what you put together, it's okay. Nothing is personal.
Terresa Zimmerman: You make that sound very easy. But when you put your heart and soul into something, especially when you've got somebody in mind and they kind of go, "Yeah, no." That is great advice and definitely something to be practiced.
Terresa Zimmerman: Thank you so much, Jin, for being on here. Thank you for sharing all of that wonderful history and knowledge. I'll look for your ties out in the public.
Jin Frati: Well, thank you for having me. This is terrific. Good luck.
