Glitter And Greed: The Lisa Frank Story Paints A Dark Portrait Of The Beloved Kids’ Brand

As a seasoned observer and admirer of the world of art and design, I find myself utterly fascinated by the rollercoaster ride that is Lisa Frank’s life and business. From her humble beginnings as an artist with a passion for rainbows and neon colors, to the meteoric rise of her iconic brand, Lisa Frank has undeniably left an indelible mark on pop culture.

If you were a child during the 1980s or ’90s, chances are high that you had Lisa Frank-themed school supplies, party goods, stickers, beach towels, and various items adorned with vibrant rainbow patterns. This company was distinct for its bold bursts of color and cute, wide-eyed animal characters, which appeared in whimsical drawings featuring dolphins, unicorns, dogs, and cats. At one time, the company generated an estimated $66 million in sales.

However, this iconic label has faced its fair share of challenges, as detailed in a freshly released four-part documentary titled “Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story“, debuting on Prime on December 5. Produced by Mary Robertson, Lisa Kalikow, Eli Holzman, and Aaron Saidman, with Arianna LaPenne directing (who is also a co-executive producer), “Glitter and Greed” showcases unprecedented footage and over 20 interviews from former employees of Lisa Frank, Inc., journalists, and even her ex-husband and the company’s former president and CEO, James Green. (Notably, Frank herself did not participate in “Glitter and Greed“).

Exploring the journey of Lisa Frank, Inc., from its meteoric rise to fall, and subsequent rebranding efforts, Glitter and Greed delves into the complex individual behind the scenes – the enigmatic Lisa Frank, a woman known for her extreme emotional fluctuations and, at times, toxic management style. Despite this, as Rondi Kutz, former senior designer and product development lead (1987-2002), shared with filmmakers, working under Lisa Frank felt like trying to please a cherished parent.

We’ll examine the accusations surrounding Lisa Frank and Lisa Frank, Inc., which is known for shaping the aesthetic ambiance of late-20th-century childhood, regarding an alleged tough work environment where employees could be terminated at any moment, legal disputes, and scandals.

Who is Lisa Frank?

hidden beneath the vibrant, playful motifs lies a genuine individual: The titled artist completed her education at Cranbrook Kingswood School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in 1972 before moving on to the University of Arizona where she focused on art. In the 1970s, when she was around 26 years old, Frank established Sticky Fingers, a children’s jewelry company. Over time, Sticky Fingers evolved into Lisa Frank Inc., capitalizing on the booming 1980s sticker collecting trend.

2015 saw Carly Mark, an artist and fashion designer (featured in the series), reaching out via email to Frank with a request for an interview. To her astonishment, Frank agreed, revealing details about her upbringing in Detroit’s suburbs and her unique college pastime of buying kachina dolls from Native American reservations, only to resell them at a profit. A friend from Lisa’s college days, Evan Eglin, characterized Frank as someone adept at “haggling and negotiating.

Following the decline of sticker craze in the ’80s, Lisa Frank, Incorporated shifted their attention towards the back-to-school niche, adorning their characters and patterns on items such as folders, binders, pens, pencils, and other school supplies. By the 1990s, they successfully secured partnerships with large retail chains like Walmart and Target.

Despite achieving market success, this brought about immense pressure for increased output. Ex-employees who spoke for the series recall working 12-hour shifts at around $8.25 an hour, slightly above minimum wage. Meanwhile, Frank enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle with a large residence, staff, and a 12-seat private jet. However, these employees struggled to make ends meet, describing themselves as barely managing to get by.

Who is James Green?

James Green served as both the ex-spouse and former president & CEO of Lisa Frank’s company, Lisa Frank, Inc. He initially joined the company in 1982 as their first full-time artist, eventually becoming Lisa Frank’s trusted right hand and taking on a leadership role within the organization. As an accomplished airbrush artist, Green played a significant part in shaping the company’s artistic direction and contributed significantly to building the brand.

1992 saw James Green ascend to both the presidency and CEO position within his company. That same year, he tied the knot with Frank, who generously bestowed upon him 49% ownership of the company in the form of shares. The couple went on to welcome two sons, Hunter and Forrest Green.

What was James Green like as a boss?

As a die-hard movie enthusiast reminiscing about my days at Lisa Frank, Inc., I can tell you that the employees I worked with back then shared some intriguing stories about the people they reported to – namely, Green. Things seemed to change significantly when he and his partner had kids, as they became our go-to persons in the hierarchy.

In a recent edition of our company newsletter titled “Frankly Speaking“, Green emphasized the importance of employee loyalty, stating that: “Adopting an optimistic outlook is merely a decision. Stay upbeat. Pessimism can make even the most positive individuals ill. If you aspire for the relationship to advance your career, take this into account. Be faithful. Managers may overlook carelessness, ignorance, lateness, and outbursts of anger. These issues can be rectified. However, disloyalty is a fundamental flaw in character. You cannot and will not gain trust. Respect the boss’ time… and do not encroach upon their territory. Keep the boss updated. The boss should be kept informed about your activities, location, conversations with others, and the reasons behind them… Adhering to these principles will benefit you.

Previous workers have shared with filmmakers that the company functioned like a “colorful prison camp,” where employees were reprimanded or even dismissed for leaving work early. In response, Green tells the filmmakers that these accusations are completely false. He further states: “Let me make this clear, I wasn’t some sort of despot. The real despot was someone else,” referring to Frank.

Green consistently maintained that he doesn’t have a temper at work. Regarding the accusation that he once overturned the critique table, where designs were displayed for assessment, he admitted: “I certainly hope I did” turn the table over. He added: “Perhaps because there was an excessive amount of nonsense on it.

Later on, he explained: “At that time, I was quite young. The weight of responsibility was immense. With a business valued at over $200 million, one must ensure its survival and growth.

Throughout most of the series, Green frequently claims credit for the vast majority of Lisa Frank, Inc.’s success, instructing filmmakers on how he conceived their iconic rainbow logo. He states, “I am the true Lisa Frank. I’m the man behind the Lisa Frank brand. It was a massive deception, and I orchestrated it. I gave birth to this phenomenon.” In terms of visuals or marketing aspects, Green asserts that he designed everything. “I constructed the brand around the persona of Lisa Frank… Everything I produced was about her. That was simply part of the marketing plan to make people adore Lisa Frank.

Green additionally asserts that Frank’s primary function was centered around selling the product, with sales being her major emphasis. Furthermore, he characterizes their marriage as an ill-advised business move.

Who is Rhonda “The Enforcer” Rowlette?

Rhonda Rowlette served as an Executive Vice President at LFI from 1984 through the mid-2000s. In our office, she was commonly referred to as “the enforcer” because of her diligent application of Green’s workplace regulations. When asked about this nickname by filmmakers, she replied, “I’d say it’s probably quite accurate.

Over the course of her career, Rowlette was well-known for dismissing numerous employees, with estimates suggesting this number could be in the hundreds. A former employee claimed he was let go from LFI due to his diabetes, as he couldn’t stay late at work because he had a strict eating schedule. Rowlette addressed these allegations, stating that she didn’t recall that specific dismissal. “That would be illegal. I can assure you we never engaged in any illegal activities that I was aware of.” However, Rowlette did acknowledge that she terminated employees based on their demeanor or failure to work when asked.

Eventually, Frank dismissed Rowlette, believing there may have been an affair between her and Green – a claim both Green and Rowlette vehemently denied. Following her dismissal, Rowlette filed a lawsuit seeking $2 million in compensation and damages, arguing that this was what she was promised upon retirement or termination. In the end, Frank and Rowlette reached a settlement, but the details were kept confidential.

Similarly, the docuseries showcases an instance where a 51-year-old accountant from the finance department in LFI suffered a fatal heart attack at his desk. As described by Rondi Kutz, an ideal Lisa Frank employee would always strive to exceed expectations and challenge their colleagues. She further suggests that there was a belief among employees that their phones might have been monitored.

In a turn of events, Kutz, who had spent 15 years with LFI, disclosed that the last blow came when her husband met with a terrible accident on the same day she was scheduled to join Frank at the New York Toy Fair. Upon informing Frank about her inability to attend, it’s said that he angrily reprimanded her, blaming her husband for causing the accident. Following his return home in a wheelchair and requiring more care, Kutz felt the need to reduce her office hours, but found herself continually being criticized for supposed decline in her performance at LFI.

What happened after Frank and Green divorced?

By the year 2005, Green and Frank had developed a strained relationship. On several occasions, Frank openly criticized Green’s spouse in public, which led to an incident where he stormed out of the office in tears, leaving everyone puzzled about the cause of his distress.

Towards the end of that year, Frank initiated a divorce from Green and dismissed him from his position within the company. During the divorce proceedings, there were allegations that Frank encouraged company employees to take sides, causing workers to worry about their job security if they made the wrong choice. “She managed to turn everyone against me,” Green claimed to documentarians, a statement that Frank denied in a lawsuit filed against Green.

As a dedicated cinephile, I’ve found myself in a unique situation where I’ve been compelled to present affidavits in a legal tussle. The crux of my argument is that Green, our CEO, has been mishandling the company’s affairs and needs to step down from his position. Moreover, I’ve got reason to believe that Green and Rowlette have been secretly plotting to sell off the company without keeping me in the loop, a clear breach of trust and transparency.

1) Green flat-out stated on camera that there was no collusion. “Collusion? Absolutely not! Lisa was well aware of what was happening, so it’s impossible for there to be any collusion.” Simultaneously, Rowlette informed documentarians that Frank wanted to sell the company. “She knew everything we did,” she said. In the end, Green was compelled to relinquish his 49% share back to Frank, thus losing all ownership of the art he created during his tenure at the company. “I lost my rights, I lost my business, I lost my building… Everything is now hers. She owns my life’s work,” he shared with the documentarians.

In a conversation with filmmakers, Hunter, the eldest child of the couple, defended his father and shared his experiences. He reminisced about their home not being a place of happiness, and mentioned that he is currently estranged from Frank. Hunter described Frank as someone who was kind to strangers but harsh towards those closest to him. “During the divorce and custody process,” said Hunter, “I felt like my mom was preventing me from seeing my dad. It seemed like she was trying to get him imprisoned. She claimed he would harm me, but none of that transpired. My father never harmed me.” Green also refuted any accusations of hurting his children, asserting, “I only held affection for them. I did the best I could in taking care of them.

Additionally, Hunter endorsed James Green’s statement that he served as the creative director and main artist in all matters related to Lisa Frank, Inc. He expressed strong affection towards his father, stating, “I value my father more than I value myself. I would sacrifice my life for my father. I do not communicate with my mother… The existence of Lisa Frank is entirely due to James Green.

What happened to Lisa Frank, Inc. following Green’s exit?

After Green’s departure, employees found LFI lacking direction, with Frank openly criticizing designs that he previously praised just a few days earlier. The company also underwent significant downsizing, failing to fill the positions of many laid-off workers.

By 2015, a fresh art director named James (refusing to disclose his surname) joined LFI with the mission of rejuvenating the brand. However, he only spent approximately half a year there. Upon arrival, he described the Tucson office as eerily reminiscent of a “zombie apocalypse,” filled with dusty and spooky figures. He also referred to the office culture as traditional and hierarchical, where one would only speak when given permission.

He added, “Everything was closely guarded by Lisa… There wasn’t a lot of creative freedom at all. I believe Lisa just wanted to fall back on some of her previous legacy characters… I believe Lisa stood in her own way.”

Licensing controversies and lawsuits

In the heart of the 2010s, I found myself reminiscing about the iconic makeup line LFI, a sentiment shared by many as we all yearned for a piece of the ’90s. Alas, their factory had shut down in 2013, but the spirit of LFI was far from extinguished. In an unexpected twist, a small, vegan-friendly makeup company based in New Jersey named Glamour Dolls reached out to LFI for a collaboration. Intrigued by this partnership, we signed a licensing agreement and launched a Kickstarter campaign that swiftly captured the public’s imagination. Despite LFI no longer being involved in production, the 2010s saw a resurgence of ’90s nostalgia, and Glamour Dolls was determined to ride this wave.

Speaking with filmmakers, Glamour Dolls’ founders, Peter Georgotas and Jessica Romano, shared that the deal they made ended up damaging both their personal and professional standing. Eventually, due to financial difficulties caused by this deal, Romano was compelled to declare bankruptcy.

At first, things looked promising between the two brands. Later, Frank herself attended a meeting at Kickstarter’s office with Romano and Georgotas. However, Romano claimed that the atmosphere shifted dramatically when Frank unveiled some decorative concepts for a leopard-print makeup brush. From that point forward, Frank reportedly insisted on communicating exclusively with Georgotas.

When initiating their Kickstarter project, Glamour Dolls enlisted the help of popular influencer, Kandee Johnson, to unveil their exciting partnership. This partnership was slated to introduce items such as an eyeshadow palette in a Trapper Keeper-style case and magical unicorn-themed nail polishes.

Due to promises made to campaign donors regarding a specific delivery date, Georgotas and Romano felt the need to initiate product production immediately in order to fulfill orders. However, they informed filmmakers that Frank was excessively controlling every step of the process, which escalated to customers complaining and even harassing Romano, who represented Glamour Dolls. “We feared if we didn’t comply with Lisa’s demands, we might lose everything,” Georgotas stated.

Georgotas further claimed to the filmmakers that Frank requested him to arrange a two-week getaway to Greece for Forrest Green’s high school graduation, which happened to coincide with Greek heritage events. “Lisa told me it was also billed as a business trip,” he explained, “and she said this was common practice among large corporations.

Throughout the journey, Georgotas admitted he catered to Frank’s every need due to his anxiety over potentially losing their licensing agreement if things didn’t pan out. While Frank resided in a luxury hotel suite priced at around $5,000 per night, Georgotas opted for more affordable $100 AirBnB accommodations.

In the process, Romano suggested to the movie producers that Frank might have been delaying production intentionally, making them extend the licensing agreement whose terms she altered “substantially.” As Romano put it, “We kept finding money to give her, but we were settling for cereal for dinner instead.

Eventually, LFI chose to cancel the agreement and refuted any allegations of delay tactics towards Glamour Dolls. Furthermore, they communicated with the Kickstarter supporters via email, expressing that the manufacturing hold-ups were due to actions taken by Glamour Dolls.

2020 saw Morphe partner with LFI on a collection that strongly resembled the initial concepts from Glamour Dolls, a company which subsequently filed a lawsuit against them in federal court, alleging breach of contract, slander, and deceit.

In response, Frank submitted a counterargument, accusing LFI of multiple violations of their licensing agreement. Additionally, it was claimed that updates made by Glamour Dolls on Kickstarter led customers to believe that LFI had deceitfully defrauded or swindled them. Court documents also stated that Frank felt uneasy about the Kickstarter campaign due to concerns that Lisa Frank supporters might perceive LFI as financially struggling. It was emphasized that Frank never demanded Romano’s removal from the project.

The case is currently ongoing.

In September 2024, a judge ruled in favor of Lisa Frank Inc., dismissing seven out of eight charges brought against them by Glamour Dolls. However, Glamour Dolls’ allegations that Lisa Frank Inc. violated their contract by failing to deliver artwork for one of their products and made defamatory statements claiming Glamour Dolls had failed to meet their agreement will proceed to trial.

Who is Amina “Tasselfairy” Mucciolo? 

Amina “Tasselfairy” Mucciolo is an artist and social media influencer who caught Lisa Frank’s attention on Instagram in 2018. Initially thrilled by the follow and the subsequent friendly exchanges, Mucciolo was inspired by Frank’s vibrant neon-rainbow style as a child. As an adult, Mucciolo built a substantial online following for their own colorful personal artistry and home decor.

In September 2019, Mucciolo became aware of news about an upcoming Lisa Frank pop-up store, jointly organized by Hotels.com, located in a building opposite his residence. Upon speaking with the producers, Mucciolo shared how friends speculated that he was part of the event due to the vibrant decoration of the pop-up room resembling his home, which had been featured in various magazines and online platforms.

Concerning the allegations that LFI copied Mucciolo’s interior designs, Hotels.com clarified to Insider that claims suggesting their design originated from anything other than Lisa Frank and her artwork are entirely unfounded.

Where is James Green today?

Currently resides in Mexico, where he operates both a coffee shop and a bar. In addition to this, he owns an art studio. He also runs a business selling T-shirts. “Art remains my source of solace,” he expresses.

Where is Lisa Frank, Inc. today?

Back in the groove again, I am excited to share that Lisa Frank, Inc., where I’ve always been a passionate advocate, has recently teamed up with Crocs and Casetify, and graced an issue of PAPER Magazine with K-pop sensation BTS on its cover. The buzz around town is that the vintage Lisa Frank factory in Tucson might be reopening as of November 2023! It’s a thrilling moment for us all, as Lisa Frank, Inc. has even posted a TikTok video with the caption “We’re baaack!” Can’t wait to see what magic they’ll bring next!

“Ever since I was young, I have been passionate about art and consider myself an artist. My company, Lisa Frank, Inc., is the product of that love for creativity. I am deeply appreciative of the talented artists and team members who assisted in turning my ideas into reality. I am thrilled about what lies ahead as a new generation steps forward. Keep watching, because the most exciting part is still to come!

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2024-12-06 01:07