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  Comune Brand Operations Manager Mark Logan in Comune's version of a baseball jacket.

The Comune team in their Costa Mesa office.
Frank Delgadillo is second from right.

I’ve known Frank Delgadillo for about seven years, since my time at the Orange County Register, so I stopped by to see the debut of his new brand, Comune, at Agenda.

When I was there, the booth was buzzing. I saw the Active merchandising team and other retailers reviewing the line, and heard that Jack’s co-owner and lead soft goods buyer, Bobby Abdel, had just been by.

Frank and his team created the 80-piece collection in four months after Frank left Ambiguous, a brand he founded.

The calling card for Comune is forward fashion with moderate pricing. Signature pieces include a fitted, faux leather jacket with graffiti-print lining ($158), a tailored, contemporary baseball jacket ($124), a herringbone and twill flannel ($58), branded T’s with graphics ($21 to $25) and denim.

Comune denim.

Comune is offering every fit of denim except boot cut and several different washes. A boot cut fit will be added next season. Prices range from $52 to $68.

Frank said the brand made a conscious effort to ignore current bright colors trends and create the styles they like, which are darker.

“We look at ourselves, and we’re not wearing those kind of colors,” he said. “We’re designing the stuff we like.”

Frank has brought in Mark Logan as brand operations manager, Mark previously worked as national sales manager for J. Lindeberg and comes from a fashion background.

Important fashion and action sports industry players that have seen the Comune line include Untitled in Chicago, Zebra Club in Seattle, The Closet in Orange County/Los Angeles, online retailer CCS, Active and Jack’s. The boutiques are particularly happy about the price points, Mark said, which are quite moderate for the boutique shopper.

I called Bobby at Jack’s yesterday to see what he thought of Comune. Here’s what he had to say.

“It’s the newest, most complete line I’ve seen in the last year, year and a half,” he said. “It’s very fashionable and merchandised together very well. It’s something different – it surprised the heck out of me.”

A Comune T.

Bobby said he is talking with Frank and Comune and will likely put the line in most, if not all, of Jack’s stores.

Bobby said he also liked Obey and Fyasko at Agenda.

Frank and his team are showing the line at the Class show this week, then Frank heads this month to his favorite city for design inspiration: Tokyo.

 

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