It feels so good to have the cat out of the bag and finally share that I’m launching a collaboration with Frances Valentine! This collection is incredibly special to me, and I had the absolute best time working with the Frances Valentine team. Their creativity, enthusiasm, and kindness are truly contagious, and this partnership was a dream from start to finish. I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out!

Today I’m sharing more about the brand, how this collaboration came to life, and a full look at the collection — including the pieces, launch date, and where you can shop.

About Frances Valentine

If you aren’t familiar with Frances Valentine, you’re missing out. The brand, founded by Elyce Arons and Kate Spade, launched in 2016. This is the same duo who started Kate Spade after becoming fast friends in college and moving to NYC together. After selling that company and taking a brief hiatus, they felt the itch to create something new — and Frances Valentine was born.

Today, the brand offers ready-to-wear clothing, shoes, accessories, and, of course, handbags. They also have nine stores scattered across the United States, including a flagship boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City. Frances Valentine makes getting dressed feel FUN. Vintage-inspired designs, bold color, and lots of femininity are at the core of everything they create. Joy is the very first word that comes to mind when I think of this brand.

How My Frances Valentine Collaboration Came to Be

I’ve been a fan of Frances Valentine from day one, and I’ve loved working with their team and wearing their pieces over the years. Last year, they reached out to see if I would be interested in a collaboration — and I was, of course, thrilled. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

In the 2023 calendar year, I launched three large collaborations with different brands, and they truly wiped me out. They were incredibly fun to create, and I’m so proud of the products and everything we accomplished, but I knew I needed a bit of a break. Right as the Frances Valentine team reached out, I had just begun having those internal conversations about getting back out there and creating product again.

Designing the Frances Valentine Collection

Immediately, I started dreaming up ideas and designs. I knew I wanted to create a small, cohesive capsule of ready-to-wear pieces and bags that felt bold, bright, and perfect for spring. We got to work right away, and I was thrilled with how quickly the collection came together.

Collaborations require a tremendous amount of work, and I’m extremely selective about the brands I partner with. Not only do I look for an aesthetic overlap, but I also want to work with teams that share my core values. Working on this collection has been such a joy, and I’m so proud of what we created together.

The Frances Valentine x Atlantic-Pacific Collection

Okay, now on to the really fun stuff — the collection! We ended up designing and producing 13 ready-to-wear styles and 4 handbags. The color palette is expansive and playful, and I love the range of styles we created. There’s truly a little bit of everything — from an unexpected oversized evening clutch to an ultra-classic moiré midi to a funky, fun sequin shift dress. Let’s dive into each style!

Moiré Midi Dress

This moiré midi is probably my favorite dress in the entire collection, which is why we produced it in three colors — black, navy, and pink. This is a true do-it-all dress. It looks darling with flats and a rattan bag, but it’s also event-ready — simply swap in a pair of sleek stilettos, a pillbox hat, and a vintage brooch.

The sash is designed to be tied in a myriad of ways. You can tie it in a bow at the front or back, crisscross it to create a cummerbund effect, or keep it simple with a clean knot. I also love the slightly open neckline and sleeves that hit at just the right spot. I will honestly be wearing this one on repeat for years to come!

Sequin Swing Coat

Swing coats are one of Frances Valentine’s bestsellers, and you know how much I love a novelty jacket, so this sequin piece felt like a no-brainer. We actually tried this style in a number of different sequin applications, but the printed version with a clear sequin overlay was by far the most stunning.

This coat has a coordinating shift dress in a slightly smaller scale of the same print (keep reading for more details on that piece). Naturally, the two styles look fantastic paired together, but this swing coat is also perfect with relaxed jeans, a favorite white tee, and simple ballet flats.

Column Maxi Dress

A column maxi dress is a spring and summer staple in my wardrobe, so naturally we had to include one in the collection. I knew I wanted a bold print, and this oversized stripe turned out beautifully.

The use of nine different colors makes this dress incredibly easy to accessorize and mix and match. I’ve been wearing mine with platform sandals and an easy hobo bag.

Lilly Shift Dresses

The Lilly shift is another Frances Valentine classic. We updated it with a medium-scale rainbow check print, as well as an exploded check print with a clear sequin overlay. The response to these dresses has been so exciting — you all seem to want to get your hands on one of these styles!

As I mentioned above, the rainbow check looks great paired with the sequin jacket. The mint and chartreuse Lilly dress looks fabulous styled with our wave jacket, which leads me to the next section…

Wave Styles

From the very beginning, I knew I wanted to incorporate a wavy scallop into the collection, and I’m thrilled with how it turned out! We ended up using this design across several pieces, including this mint wave jacket, this navy and pink wave wrap skirt, and this wave mini dress — which I think will be a bestseller.

All of these styles are crafted from dupioni silk, a fabric that’s the perfect weight for the season. It gives each piece that ideal balance of everyday wearability and special-occasion polish.

Sequin Maxi Dress

And now we’ve arrived at the collection’s showstopper — this navy mesh maxi dress, adorned with large circular paillette sequins, is nothing short of spectacular. And because it’s the main character, it needs little to no accessorizing. I’d simply style it with metallic mules, a statement stud earring, and the collection’s oversized navy clutch.

Dot Dress

Last but not least is this repeat dot print column mini dress. This style features a slight sleeve, hits just above the knee, and comes in such a fun print for the warmer days ahead. It would be darling styled with simple white flat sandals and the collection’s chartreuse clutch.

Frances Valentine x Atlantic-Pacific Bags

No Frances Valentine collection is complete without a few beautiful handbags, and I was more than happy to collaborate on some fun new accessories. We ended up creating two new bag shapes — the EW top handle and the oversized clutch.

I knew I wanted to offer both a pop of color and an easy, neutral hue in each style. For the clutch, we went with two embossed croc options — navy and chartreuse — and I love how each one turned out. This clutch fits everything you need for a night out and features the most darling striped lining.

The EW top handle has a beautiful raffia inset that makes it feel summer-ready, with the prettiest pop of chartreuse for added color. While I typically carry mine as a top handle, it also includes a crossbody strap for days when you’re on the go!

Launch Details

Ready to shop? This collection will be available exclusively at FrancesValentine.com starting Tuesday, April 14. Select styles will be available in stores, with the Dallas and New York City locations carrying the full collection.

And some exciting news — if you’re in Dallas on April 16, Elyce and I will be there from 5–7 PM to chat and help you style the collection. Please come by!

My Frances Valentine Collection

I am so excited to finally share this collection with all of you! Working with the Frances Valentine team has been nothing short of a dream, and I hope you all love these styles as much as we do. Thank you for all of your support over the years — it truly means everything and I can’t wait to see how you style these pieces!