Bu ch of cool thin s turn 100 t is ye r.
The polygraph machine (aka the lie detector). Laughing Cow cheese (a classic lunchbox treat). The word ‘robot’ (from the Old Czech rabota, or ‘servitude’). Not to mention, having ‘flake’ with your fish and chips (apparently, old-time Aussies weren’t so keen on the idea of scoffing straight-up shark).
Though it hasn’t quite been a century since frankie came to be, we’re rather chuffed to have reached another massive milestone: 100 issues. Hip-hip-hooray! That’s 100 magazines sharing curious and eye-opening real-life reads; 100 oddball road tests, from toilet paper to dog breeds; 100 opportunities to uncover fresh art and design; and 100 papery vessels for clever new voices.
We’ve talked baking, blooms and awesome oldies with ardent enthusiasm – plus rad lady rockers, head-scratching facts and loads of Twin Peaks, of course. We’ve chuckled, we’ve sobbed and we’ve sworn an awful lot (belated apologies to our respective mothers). We’ve ferreted out weird and wonderful makers, small businesses and crafts while whipping up special fashion shoots and sharing some handy (and some slightly defective) life advice.
And it’s not just this here magazine we’ve been creating all these years. Since issue one hit the stands in 2004, the frankie world has grown to include cookbooks, diaries and calendars, stationery, podcasts, a spiffy website, reader events and fun and inspiring one-off publications. (Basically, we’ve concocted as many ways as possible to bring our special brand of cute-but-uncouth madness to you.)
Which brings us to the best part of making it to the big 1-0-0: building a brilliant community. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: frankie readers are the friggin’ bee’s knees. You’re kind, inquisitive and creative, and without your lovely letters and support, who knows where the heck we’d be.
So let’s pop a party popper, raise our glasses, do a commemorative Running Man
(or maybe The Robot, as it were) and some other celebratory things. We hope to send many more magazines your way – but for now, we’ll be eagerly awaiting a letter from the queen.
a few nice messages from frankie friends, past and present…
“I learnt so much at frankie, worked with great people, met great readers, and had a really top time. I’m glad everyone else got to enjoy it, as well! I still love seeing frankie come out and can’t wait for 100 more.”
– JO WALKER, FORMER EDITOR
“Happy 100th issue, frankie magazine! Even now, people come up and tell me their first exposure to me was reading frankie back in the day, which makes me feel so proud and so old – but not as old as you.”
– BENJAMIN LAW, WRITER
“Have a really happy anniversary of your 100th issue, frankie!”
– JENNY KEE, FASHION ICON & FRANKIE FRIEND
“I’ve been a frankie collector since way back at issue 20, and I’m so honoured to be part of the frankie family and take photos for your beautiful magazine. Happy birthday and congrats on making it to 100.”
– BRI HAMMOND, PHOTOGRAPHER
“Thanks for publishing me all those years ago in 2008 – I didn’t really know what I was doing with my life or career, so it meant a lot to be recognised and validated by a magazine I admired, and all my peers admired, too. I’m so happy for you guys that you’ve reached 100 issues!”
– MEL STRINGER, ILLUSTRATOR
“Sending warm mazel tovs on the 100th issue! I have many fond memories of writing for frankie, and discovering some of my favourite writers. Also, my current boyfriend used to read my articles in his then-girlfriend’s magazines, which means I kind of wooed him by playing a really long game before I even met him. So thanks, frankie!”
– MARIEKE HARDY, WRITER