J.Crew's Mickey Drexler Is Stepping Down

"Thanks!" to many of you, who shared the following news: Mickey Drexler is no longer at J.Crew. From the New York Times (click here):

Mickey Drexler Steps Down as Chief of J. Crew, Ending an Era
By Vanessa Friedman and Julie Creswell
June 5, 2017

“As chairman and an owner of the company, it is my responsibility to focus on the future of J. Crew and find the right leadership to execute on our strategic plans,” Mr. Drexler, 72, said in a statement. “Jim has a proven track record of pushing for innovation.”

Same-store sales at J. Crew have fallen in 11 of the last 12 quarters, and the company shut its bridal business last year. In March, J. Crew, which is backed by the private equity firms TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners, said revenue fell 2 percent, to $695 million, during the three-month period that ended Jan. 28. In April, it announced plans to eliminate 150 full-time positions.

The retailing industry is now full of prominent brands that have struggled to adjust to consumers’ changing shopping patterns.

Several retailers have filed for bankruptcy this year, including Payless ShoeSource, The Limited, BCBG Max Azria and Wet Seal. Analysts are predicting many more will follow, and J. Crew, with its faltering sales and mountain of debt, has been dogged by speculation that it could file for bankruptcy.

Mr. Drexler was credited with creating the 1990s office uniform of a button-down shirt and khaki pants during his 18-year career at Gap. He saw that brand’s sales grow to $14 billion from $400 million and created Gap’s discount cousin, Old Navy. But he was fired in 2002 after 24 consecutive months of declines in same-store sales.

He joined J. Crew in 2003 and quickly lived up to his nickname, the Merchant Prince, as crisp tailored shirts and bright, springy ballet flats flew out the door. He was known for riding his bicycle around the office and using an intercom to communicate when struck by an idea. Robust sales set up J. Crew for a successful public offering in 2006 and a huge 700 percent return for the private-equity owners TPG.

In 2011, J. Crew was taken private again in a $3 billion deal, this time by TPG and private-equity firm Leonard Green & Partners. Mr. Drexler received $300 million in cash for the buyout but rolled $100 million back into the company for a significant equity stake.

Yet in recent years, J. Crew could not seem to get fashion right. The company was late to the athleisure party. Sometimes, the clothes were unflattering and boxy. Other times, they were oddly luxe — a $1,500 cashmere hoodie — for a customer base more attuned to paying $65 for a sweater.

The result was a very public fall from grace for the brand that was once a favorite of Michelle Obama, and that for almost a decade was a retail fairy tale, with Mr. Drexler as the hero and Ms. Lyons as the heroine.

“Mickey is one of those people I always looked to as a forward thinker,” said Steven Kolb, chief executive of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, a trade group. “So in a way it’s not surprising, given the changes in the business, that he recognized it was time for a change.”

The search for his successor had been underway for some time, said Ms. Fooshee, the J. Crew spokeswoman. The choice of Mr. Brett, who previously worked for brands like Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and J. C. Penney, suggests that J. Crew may have decided to move further away from the flirtation with fashion instigated by Mr. Drexler and Ms. Lyons — like showing during New York Fashion Week — to retrench and concentrate on its more accessible styles and on online sales.

Since Mr. Brett, 48, was named president of West Elm, a modern furniture retailer that is part of Williams-Sonoma, it has reported strong growth. He established West Elm as a must-have favorite for millennials and was overseeing the brand’s push into boutique hotels in a handful of markets next year.

“Jim has a reputation as a terrific merchant,” said Joshua Schulman, the chief executive of Coach.

Aside from J. Crew, Mr. Brett will also be responsible for J. Crew’s hipper sibling brand, Madewell, which was created by Mr. Drexler and is the bright spot in the group’s portfolio.

So many thoughts... First and foremost, it is a bad economic time to be a brick and mortar retailer. Malls are facing a lot of empty store fronts. Online consumerism is winning based on best prices. J.Crew faced that issue like all other B&M retailers.

However, J.Crew was the retail darling! So how could have it gone all so wrong in the past couple of years? JCAs know the answer to this. They moved away from "classics with a twist". Top it off with high prices and lower quality (cashmere you are afraid to hand-wash, tees that develop holes after a single wear).

Plus, Jenna Lyons and Mickey Drexler were very eager to cater to Fashion Week and the like. Yet, they forgot their core customer. They took them for granted or even worse, purposefully felt like they were not good enough and left them behind. By the time they realized the mistake, it was a little too late to save the financials.

(Take for example this blog. When it first appeared back in 2008, J.Crew ignored it. Often refusing to acknowledge it. They would not even send me public releases, despite many polite requests to be added. Then when they *would* contact me, it was to tell me to remove *public* information, which didn't sit well with me. By the time they truly embraced bloggers, I already felt shunned by the company. It was my love for their clothes and this community that made me blog. But the company did very little to foster that for me. Incidentally, I never asked J.Crew for trips, clothes, discounts, or anything free. In fact, because of my anonymity, I did not think of doing that. Notice this blog still has no ads! I just wanted to be kept in the loop to share with the community.)  

Look, I am sad to see J.Crew in trouble. I have to admit that as of late they have been getting their act together. They are offering more of what I want to see. They are still my go-to for clothes, alongside Madewell. So I want to see them succeed. I sincerely hope Mr. Brett can turn things around.

As for Mickey Drexler... he was always a nice guy. He also made a lot of money from J.Crew so at the end of the day, he will be just fine. ;)

Thoughts on the article? Disagree or agree with Mr. Drexler's move to leave J.Crew?

Breaking News: Jenna Lyons is Leaving J.Crew

"Thanks!" to many of you, including Roamestudios, who shared the following article from the Business of Fashion (click here).

Jenna Lyons Exits J.Crew
By Lauren Sherman
April 3, 2017

BoF has learned that the specialty retailer's longtime creative mastermind is departing the company. Current J.Crew women's head Somsack Sikhounmuong will take over her design duties.

J.Crew’s Jenna Lyons is exiting the company after 26 years with the specialty retailer, BoF has learned.

"Jenna and I got together and we both agreed it was time for a change,” J.Crew chief executive Millard "Mickey" Drexler told BoF in an exclusive interview. "That being said, she’s got plans to do other things. It’s been a great run. There’s a lot of mutual respect between Jenna and me.”

“It has been beyond my wildest dreams to work with such an amazing team of people at such an incredible brand and alongside Mickey — one of retail’s most talented visionaries,” Lyons said in a statement. "I am excited about the next chapter for J.Crew as well as the opportunity for other creative leaders within the organisation to step up and take on new responsibilities. Having spent the better part of my life with J.Crew, I feel an immense pride and love for everyone at the company.”

Current J.Crew women’s head of design Somsack Sikhounmuong — who previously led sister label Madewell’s design and has been with the company since 2001 — will be promoted to chief design officer, overseeing the women’s, men’s and children's design teams effective immediately. All other creative departments that were reporting to Lyons — who was also president of the company — will now report to Drexler.

"Somsack and our design teams have a deep understanding of the aesthetic and style our customers rely on us to deliver, with a proven track record of driving creative vision in-line with our brand DNA,” Drexler said. "We are excited to extend Somsack’s vision across all design categories and look forward to the team’s contributions. As always, delivering the very best product, value and brand experience across channels is our top priority.”

Lyons joined J.Crew in 1990, although her role was elevated after Drexler came on board in 2003. Through their unique partnership, they managed to transform J.Crew into a cultural phenomenon, transforming the way a generation of American men and women dress with Lyons' energised, tongue-in-cheek take on classic preppy tropes. Her candy-coloured designs — from the now-classic "Bubble" necklace to the "No. 2" pencil skirt — impressed themselves on current fashion in a way rarely seen at the mass level. In 2010, Drexler promoted her to president, reflecting her influence in design and at the company.

At the same time, Lyons became something of a cultural icon in her own right, whose personal style — statement eyewear, oversize suiting, sequins for day — became copied the world over. Just this past Friday, Lyons was captured on J.Crew’s Instagram handle celebrating the retailer’s self-made holiday, National Stripes Day.

However, some say that Lyons' role had transitioned out of day-to-day design duties and more into a face for the brand. But like many specialty retailers, J.Crew has been squeezed by discount culture, the casualisation of dress and the consumer's penchant for fast fashion, which relies less on one well-defined aesthetic and more on moving trends quickly to the market. In its 2016 fiscal year, net sales at J.Crew were $2 billion, down 6 percent from the year previous. Sales at stores open at least one year were down 8 percent. Turnaround efforts — including a marked return to the preppy “basics” that performed so well in the past and diversification into athleisure with a multi-season collaboration with New Balance — have yet to move the needle.

The company’s top line has been somewhat boosted by the growth of Madewell, which saw net sales in 2016 increase 14 percent to $341.6 million, with comparable sales up 5 percent. But its debt — which totalled $1.5 billion, net of discount and deferred financing costs, at the end of last year — has proven an albatross, as it becomes current in 2018. J.Crew also has a $350 million revolving loan. The retailer has reportedly considered debt restructuring.

Lyons' post-J.Crew plans are not yet known, but the indelible mark she has made in defining American fashion for the past decade cannot go unacknowledged. As for J.Crew, this announcement is expected to be the first in a series of strategic changes that will allow it to perform in its next iteration.

Wow. I always thought she was being groomed to take over for Mickey Drexler when he decided to leave. So its interesting that is not happening. More interesting is whether or not it was her decision to leave...

Honestly, Jenna Lyons taste had evolved away from J.Crew's core style for many years now. While she was taking fashion forward risks, J.Crew's core customers were not. "Basics with a twist" is J.Crew's true mantra and not Jenna Lyons.

I am, of course, interested to see with Jenna's next move is. Whether she will be scooped up by another retailer or start her own line. Time will tell! ;)

Thoughts on the article? Disagree or agree with Ms. Lyon's leaving J.Crew?

J.Crew Employee's Questionable Instagram Move

Perusing my daily sites, I ran across a post from SomeEcards about a J.Crew executive (click here to read in its entirety).

Alejandro Rhett, J.Crew's vice president of men's merchandising, spent the evening posting bar pics after saying goodbye to 175 co-workers.
Filed by Aimee Lutkin
June 18, 2015

If you're not keeping up with the inner workings of corporations that sell variations on tan pants, you probably don't know that J.Crew isn't doing so hot. Their most recent earnings report showed they'd suffered an overall operating loss of almost $521 million. That's a lot! People's hunger for beige sweaters is waning. One of the direct outcomes of this report was 175 lay-offs around the J.Crew offices. That's a lot, too! Think of all those people going home to tell their families and pets and lovers that they've been laid off.

Probably a fair share of them went drinking, but it was sad drinking. Alejandro Rhett, VP of men's merchandising, went PARTYING. And he wasn't afraid to show it on social media, using some of these super fun hashtags: #gonegirl #hungergames #maytheoddsbeeverinyourfavor #nofunhere. Presumably, #nofunhere is ironic, because it looks as though they're having lots of fun.

Honestly, I understand why they're celebrating. There's probably been an enormous amount of tension and somehow they've missed the guillotine. Sure, feel good. But when you post pics all over Instagram showing off how great you feel when almost 200 people are out of work, folks are gonna call it like they see it. And they see a bunch of tone-deaf assholes. Especially since, according to the NY Post, Rhett personally fired a number of them himself.

Maybe everyone's being too sensitive. There's a recent story of a similar staff purging at Lucky Magazine. That same day Lucky's ex-EIC Eva Chen posted a picture on Instagram that offended some people who'd gotten their pink slips:

 Um, I guess it's a fashion thing? In that world, a smiling macaroon is a big ole "F*ck You" to the unemployed.

It's unclear whether Rhett is going to get into any trouble for his dumb posts, though they've all been taken down. A rep told the NY Post, “As soon as we were made aware, the appropriate actions took place." High fives all around, maybe? 

Many moons ago, I worked at a company that was not doing well. I worked near the sales team, and I will always remember the day when the entire department was let go. It was sad. Depressingly sad. I did not feel like celebrating. In fact, I remember crying in my cubicle and then walking by their empty cubicles to cry some more. I could not imagine posting something like those images or being laid off and then seeing my co-workers post something like that.

I also have a feeling that Rhett regrets doing that insensitive move too. Really insensitive. Massively insensitive.

Also, very said to hear that J.Crew had to let go of so many employees. It is obvious that their design decisions have cost some dedicated employees their jobs. Sad, sad news all around. Here's to hoping they can turn things around before anymore employees are let go.

What are your thoughts on the article? Did you know that J.Crew had laid off so many members of their team?

Guessing Who Is Taking Over at J.Crew?

"Thanks!" to  many of you who gave us a heads up about J.Crew's most recent management change. The following from NY Mag's The Cut (click here to read in its entirety) sums up their current situation:

Madewell’s Designer Is Taking Over at J.Crew
By Véronique Hyland
June 10, 2015

It sounds like J.Crew is undergoing a bit of a shakeup: After the company reported woeful, possibly sweater-related results last week, some (in corporate parlance) re-shuffling has taken place. According to a release from the company, Somsack Sikhounmuong, formerly head of design at Madewell, will now take over as head of women's design for the J.Crew brand, replacing Tom Mora. Sikhounmuong is a 14-year veteran of Madewell, and has helped contribute to the success of the company, which has seen sales rise by 33 percent in the past year. Will he be able to sprinkle that same fairy dust on J.Crew?

Joyce Lee, who has been working under Sikhounmuong at Madewell, has already been named as his successor there. The release also makes reference to "other strategic and organizational changes ... being made across the Company in areas including store operations, production, sourcing, and merchandising." CEO Mickey Drexler, who has been upfront about what he called the retailer's "lousy year," said in the statement: "We know what needs to be done and while many of these initiatives take time, we have a committed team in place to make it happen." They certainly have their work cut out for them.

Well, I hate to say this but I am happy about the change. Tom Mora was not helping the brand too much in the past few years. #sorrynotsorry

I have been buying more and more from Madewell lately. And here is the amazing part... full price items too!

So here is to hoping that J.Crew is taking the right steps to turn design things around for the Women's line.

What are your thoughts on the management change at J.Crew? Do you think Sikhounmuong is a good replacement for Mora? Please share!

American Express + J.Crew = $25 off $125+

A big "thanks!" to JRSConnifer (in this post) who shared the following news with us:

There is a current offer for AmEx for J Crew, spend $125 get $25 back, my offer is good until 5/31/15...

To enroll in the American Express Sync offer: (1) sync your American Express credit card to Twitter Tweet #AmexJCrew, or (2) sign into your AmericanExpress.com account and go to the “Amex Offers For You” tab.


Definitely sign up and register if you have an American Express card!

Jenna Lyons at the Met Again

"Thanks!" to Cousy (in this post) who let us know that LuckyShops had a little post about J.Crew's Jenna Lyons attending this years Met Ball (click here to read in its entirety):

Did Jenna Lyons Just Wear Pajamas To The Met Gala?
By Alison Syrett
May 4, 2015

From the simple V-neck sweater she wore in 2011 to her button-down/pullover combo of 2013, Jenna Lyons has never been afraid to skirt the Met Gala’s dress code. But she hit the loungewear look even harder than usual at this evening’s red carpet in roomy cut menswear-style pajamas. Yes, pajamas.

Seeing as it is the year’s biggest, buzziest fashion event, Lyons naturally went for a bedazzled pair, and accessorized with gold heels and shiny clutch. And although we’re not quite sure how it ties in to the whole “China: Through the Looking Glass” theme, we’ve got to give her props for taking a risk. We think it paid off—how about you?

I have to say that although it looks good on her, I don't really care for the upscale pajama set. #sorrynotsorry On a bright side, it was probably the most comfortable outfit at the event.

What are your thoughts on Jenna's look? Do you love it or would you leave it? If you could style her, what would you have her wear?

Jenna Lyons' Look Evolution

The following article is from Refinery 29 (click here to read in its entirety):

Jenna Lyons Has Totally Changed Her Signature Look
By Liza Darwin
April 6, 2015

Ever since Jenna Lyons took the reins as the creative director of J.Crew back in 2008, she’s slowly and steadily injected the All-American brand with her signature mussed-up elegance. Lyons’ influence has rubbed off everywhere, but most notably in unexpected styling tricks like mixing prints, daytime sequins and tomboy touches (the list goes on). Lyons and the label's aesthetics have become so inseparable, even the J.Crew models have morphed into Lyons’ own oversized-glasses-sporting image. So, when the style icon decides to shake up her look, we can't help but do a double take.

It's been a few weeks since we spotted Lyons at J.Crew's fall 2015 presentation wearing her trademark glasses, bright lipstick, and slick middle-part bun, but she's ditched all three in favor of a barefaced make-under at a recent dinner in New York City.  She's since lopped off her long hair into a lob (a change she quietly debuted a few weeks ago at the CFDA nominees announcement ceremony), swapped out the bold lipcolor for a pale pink hue, and gone entirely sans glasses. And, surprise! She looks amazing.

Her beauty look may be more understated than usual, but the outfit itself remained a quirky Lyons original. Wearing a button-down blouse, fancy party shorts, and a menswear-inspired overcoat, all in various shades of blue (and topped off with a snakeskin bag), her eclecticism is still totally on-point. But, here's the real question: Now that we know Lyons can pull off both nerdy-cool and effortlessly pretty equally, will the J.Crew models follow suit next season? Stay tuned.

Jenna Lyons is exceptionally gorgeous. She can pull off looks the average woman (myself included) could not.

However, the article raised an interesting question: Will J.Crew and their models follow her direction? They have in the past, will they continue to do so. Back in January, it sounded like J.Crew might be pulling away from Jenna's style (refer to the "Does J.Crew Still Heart Forever Jenna Lyons? {probably}" post). However, all indications point to a strong relationship between J.Crew and their favorite employee.

What are your thoughts on Jenna's new look? Do you think J.Crew will replicate the style in their upcoming collections?

Shoppers Turning On J.Crew's Jenna Lyons

"Thanks!" to Susan (in this post), as well as Stapelia (in this post), who shared the following article from the New York Post (click here to read in its entirety):

J.Crew is floundering — and shoppers blame Jenna Lyons
By Sarah Horne
April 13, 2015

Last month, Oregon-based illustrator Tricia Louvar, 40, took to website The Hairpin with a comic titled “An Open Letter to Jenna Lyons,” aimed at the famously quirky creative director of J.Crew.

“You are pretty dope,” it began. “If only I, an ordinary mother on a modest income, could afford to wear a $400 cashmere skirt, silk barely-there blouse and belt to a one-time business-casual event.”

Louvar then tallied the cost of an “everyday” outfit at the retailer, finding that it came to $596, the equivalent of 298 school lunches.

“I was a fan of J.Crew for over 20 years,” Louvar tells The Post. “But as I look at the catalogs now, I just don’t get it. Back when I was in college, it represented a classic look that was seamless.”

Now, says Louvar, the brand embodies Lyons’ creative-cool lifestyle. “I love her style,” she explains. “But can I relate to it?”

She is not the only one wondering what the heck went askew at the brand. In 2014 sales at J.Crew declined, and the company’s CEO Mickey Drexler admitted it had been a “tough year.”

In December, Page Six reported, “after a dismal earnings report that saw the company go from a net income of $35.4 million to a reported loss of $607.8 million in just a year . . . style icon Lyons is being ordered by her bosses to focus more on the business and less on her own brand.”

Lyons, who regularly hits the red carpet in silk pajama pants or a feather-trimmed maxi skirt, was made creative director in 2008 and transformed what had been a line of unassuming basics into a fashion force, presenting the label at New York Fashion Week and launching J.Crew Collection, a capsule line with offerings like $498 pink lace trousers.

She became a darling of street-style blogs while gossip sites combed over her personal life. Last year, Lyons capped off her icon status with a cameo on HBO’s Brooklyn-set “Girls.”

Some backlash was inevitable, says New Yorker Lauren Sherman, 32, the editor-at-large for fashionista.com. “It’s easy to knock someone down when they’re at the top of their game,” she says.

Lyons, who regularly hits the red carpet in silk pajama pants or a feather-trimmed maxi skirt, was made creative director in 2008 and transformed what had been a line of unassuming basics into a fashion force, presenting the label at New York Fashion Week and launching J.Crew Collection, a capsule line with offerings like $498 pink lace trousers.

She became a darling of street-style blogs while gossip sites combed over her personal life. Last year, Lyons capped off her icon status with a cameo on HBO’s Brooklyn-set “Girls.”

Some backlash was inevitable, says New Yorker Lauren Sherman, 32, the editor-at-large for fashionista.com. “It’s easy to knock someone down when they’re at the top of their game,” she says.

Abra Belke, 32, who blogs under the pseudonym Belle at DC-based fashion blog Capitol Hill Style, feels disappointed by a label she used to be loyal to and puzzled by what she sees as Lyons’ larger-than-life imprint on the retail giant.

“When Jenna started, people were excited because it was different,” says Belke. “But in the last three or four years, it got ridiculous. I think the brand is more and more out of touch . . . it seems to be going through an identity crisis.”

The catalogs, Belke feels, are overstyled, with models pairing suits with sneakers and out-there accessories.

“I think they’re designing for a very small subset of people who work and live in very specialized industries in New York. My boss still wears flesh-toned hose with her skirt suit. I can’t show up in a sequin pencil skirt.”

It perhaps comes as no surprise that sales at Madewell, J.Crew’s more accessible sister brand, are increasing while J.Crew stumbles. On a March call to address the company’s latest earnings reports, Drexler said he had heard his customers loud and clear.

His plans to turn the troubling numbers around include opening 20 more Madewell stores this year and reworking the fashion strategy at J.Crew, focusing on the classics.

A J.Crew spokeswoman declined to comment, but according to one J.Crew insider, you can bet that the design team is listening to calls for change.

“Jenna is very, very involved at the company,” says the source. “She touches everything.”

If getting back to their roots is part of the plan, it seems to be working over at Madewell, where the design DNA is more low-key.

Belke, the DC blogger, says that if J.Crew gets back to basics, she’d be glad to return. “As long as it doesn’t have neon feathers on it, and it’s something I can wear for three or four years, I’m in.”

First and foremost, I think there is blame to be shared at J.Crew. I do feel bad that Jenna Lyons is getting the bulk of it, because I honestly believe Mickey Drexler is at fault here too.

But moving onward, I think the concerns raised by the loyal customers in the article are ones made time and time again here on the blog for quite some time. (How many of us complained about weird fit, poly material, dry clean only goods, sub-par quality, quality going downhill, discontinuing best sellers, etc.?)

I know that there are several JCAs who love what J.Crew is currently doing and love the current styling. They don't long for the preppy days and are more "on fashion point". However, I never understood why J.Crew could not offer both types of styles. Keep the classics, basics with a twist, alongside the trendier pieces. Or keep the fashion forward pieces with the high price tags to the Collection line, instead of infiltrating the regular selection. (Seeing a $200+ tee in the regular section of J.Crew is a bit odd, no?)

I still love my J.Crew and find pieces to purchase every week. But we all know the quality, style and fit have changed over the years. Most of us, myself included, have been returning a lot more because pieces are not working out.

I understand that J.Crew has finally figured it out (through their comments to the press), however the real proof will be in the upcoming collections. I sincerely hope they bring back the elements that made them so successful (classics with a twist) and not tamper with the elements they do so well (like their Tippi Cardigans).

What are your thoughts on the article? Do you think J.Crew can turn things around? If so, please share! :)

Do You Still Heart J.Crew?

"Thanks!" to JulieStyles (in this post) who shared the following article from the Washington Post (click here to read in its entirety):

Sorry, J.Crew. Female shoppers just aren’t that into you.
By Sarah Halzack
March 23, 2015

It wasn’t long ago that J.Crew was the envy of the retail industry. Its distinctive look — well-made basics bedecked with a splash of sequins or a door-knocker-sized necklace — stood out from less adventurous retailers in the same price range and helped the brand triple its revenue between 2003 and 2013.

And yet 2014 marked a turn in fortunes for the retailer. The company recently reported that sales at its stores open more than a year fell 2 percent in 2014. In the crucial holiday quarter, the brand’s financial picture was especially cloudy, with revenue decreasing slightly to $620.7 million and comparable sales sliding 5 percent.

In a rare appearance on a conference call with analysts, chief executive Mickey Drexler offered several reasons for what he called “a tough year” for his company, including a decline in mall traffic, intense competition and shoppers’ fixation on promotional prices.

And yet the biggest problem of all, Drexler said, was one of J.Crew’s own making: It filled its stores with clothes that women really just weren’t into. “We’ve made some mistakes,” Drexler said, including “missteps in our iconic classics.”

Drexler said the women’s business has been “challenging” recently and that the fits, silhouettes and color palette of the clothes simply haven’t connected with shoppers the way they had in the past.

J.Crew says it is aggressively trying to win customers back with fresh colors, classic designs and a more diverse merchandise assortment, particularly in the pants category. (As Drexler said, if you weren’t buying their skinny-cut Pixie or Minnie pants last year, you probably weren’t buying women’s pants from them at all.)

J.Crew is learning the hard way that in an era when e-commerce has presented women with ever-greater shopping choices, customer loyalty is hard to win and incredibly easy to lose. And with its middle-of-the-road price point, the typical J.Crew shopper might be just as likely to invest in a $595 shift dress at Tory Burch as she is to impulse-buy a $8.90 crop top at Forever 21.

With that kind of breadth of competition, J.Crew is betting that the way to get ahead of the pack is not with new marketing tactics or store designs, but to simply make better, more appealing clothes.

J.Crew is not the only specialty retailer that is grappling with a style problem. Gap has lately had similar struggle, with sales stumbling hard as critics say its sportswear has veered from classic and simple to just plain boring. ...

Gap’s sister brand, Banana Republic, appears to be coming out of a style rut under its new creative director, Marissa Webb, who impressed critics and analysts with fall and winter collections featuring trendy and edgy details....

The recent weakness at J.Crew comes after a long stretch in which the brand was flying high. Many attribute its recent success to its top leaders, including Drexler, the chief executive...

And then there is Jenna Lyons, the creative director who has earned the kind of cultlike adoration that is typically reserved for haute couture designers. She’s responsible for the unique, preppy-with-a-twist aesthetic of the clothes, and she is a walking billboard for how to wear them. Photos of her regularly ping-pong around fashion blogs and Instagram feeds, often featuring her in thick-rimmed, geek-chic glasses and some sort of formal-meets-casual ensemble — maybe a structured blazer atop ripped jeans or sequined harem pants paired with a striped T-shirt.

The growth and buzz that Drexler and Lyons created led to whispers about an initial public offering for the privately-held company. But amid last year’s slowdown, that talk has died down.

Reviving the women’s business isn’t J.Crew’s only hope for improvement. The company also includes Madewell, a newer, casual-cool chain which had a much stronger year than J.Crew.

Madewell — a destination for distressed denim, suede ankle booties, and vintage-looking button-downs — had a 14 percent sales increase in 2014 at stores open more than year, growth that is vastly better than what was seen at most specialty apparel retailers. It appears that Drexler sees Madewell as something of a pet project and that he is intensely focused on making it the next big thing in American casual apparel.

The company is also rapidly growing its lower-priced Factory outlet business, with plans to add 21 more of these stores in 2015. And it is cautiously expanding the presence of the J. Crew brand overseas, with a Paris store in the chic Marais district and plans to grow its footprint in Britain and Hong Kong.

But even if these other strategies help make up for slowness in J. Crew’s women’s business, the company remains determined to win back its core female shopper. “She is loyal as hell until we go wrong,” Drexler said. 

So many interesting points being made throughout this article (of which I highlighted). The most important is that *finally* J.Crew recognizes that it's important to make their customers happy.
If I sound pretty harsh, it is because for awhile it felt like J.Crew was catering to the fashion editors and fashionistas from Fashion Week more than the base of loyal aficionadas.

It is fine to mix in high-end, fashion forward pieces for the Collection line, which is what it is meant for. However, J.Crew started to make some questionable moves with their regular collection like when they retired the classic Cece Ballet Flat (which they had to bring back!) from their offerings. No matter how many back-to-back sales and promotions, items were not selling. You had to start wondering who was making the bad calls at J.Crew. More importantly, why were they not being fired.

It is clear from Mickey's comments that he recognizes they have gone too far. The question is can they fix it? I think they can. Get the right mix of product that customers, their base of customers, really want, and you will see sales rise. Just look at the Chateau Coat- that was one item they got right during the Holiday season. It never went on sale and it keeps selling out! But as for the rest of the Holiday offerings? Meh. The color palette was drab. The styles were over-sized. Bring back the rich hues! Bring back the tailored tops!

Lastly, I find it interesting that Madewell performed so well. I am a Madewell Aficionada as well and I can see that the quality and fit are in those pieces. I hope Mickey pays a bit more attention to J.Crew to make sure J.Crew sees a rise and in their quality and fit.

What are your thoughts on this article? Any points you found interesting? Anything you agreed or disagreed with?

Madewell is Now Available at Nordstrom!

In last month's "Coming Soon! Madewell at Net-a-Porter & Nordstrom" post, it was discussed that Madewell was coming to Nordstrom. Well it is finally here!

To shop Madewell over at Nordstrom online, click here. Even cooler? Nordstrom is price matching Madewell's current promotions. Even better? No code necessary as it is automatically applied.

More cool news? There are several Nordstrom brick and mortar stores carrying Madewell:

If you couldn't tell, I am pretty excited about this. {Throwing up some jazz hands!} Well, if an item is out of stock in the size or color you wanted at Madewell, head on over to Nordstrom to see if they have it! Plus, Nordstrom always offers free shipping and free returns. So easy!

What are your thoughts on this latest Madewell news? Are you surprised to see the brand being sold at other outlets? If so, please share! :)

J.Crew's Jenna Lyons Hearts Sequins

The following article and photos are from the Guardian (click here to read in its entirety): 

J.Crew's Jenna Lyons: 'Sequins are the new black'
Label’s creative director fights against ‘fashion gone quiet’ with sparkles, bright yellows and deep purples as she shows collection at New York fashion weekBy Jess Cartner-Morley
February 17, 2015

Backstage at the Lincoln Center, moments before the J Crew show at New York fashion week, the models asked Jenna Lyons, the label’s creative director: “Are we allowed to smile?”

Lyons – dressed for the occasion in floor-length black culottes with a simple striped cotton shirt, signature black-rimmed spectacles and slicked back hair – burst out laughing. “Oh my god, yes! Please smile.”

The models’ question was not stupid. Smiling is a rare occurrence on the catwalk, where aloof unobtainability is still considered the ideal. But J Crew is different from most names on the New York fashion week schedule, being an upscale mainstream store whose price tags, while not cheap, are closer to affordable than astronomical. What’s more, the tone of approachability saturates everything about J Crew. The store models often wear glasses, and unlikely colours and fabrics are mixed with a screwball comedy wit.

Under the stewardship of Lyons and the chief executive, Mickey Drexler, J Crew has become a major player in global fashion. Michelle Obama is a fan, and ...has enabled J Crew to lay claim, in the American imagination, to the notion of dressing with a pop of colour. ...

But recently J Crew has run into trouble. A loss of $607m in 2014 led to reports that Lyons was in trouble with Drexler for the unlikely fashion crime of being too fabulous. Lyons’ personal fame – guest appearances in Girls and a turn at Solange Knowles’s wedding – was said to be shading her J Crew role. Drexler dismissed the reports as silly, publicly backing Lyons as being “as good as it gets at being a voice for J Crew”. But the recent departure of both the chief operating officer and chief financial officer have fuelled rumours that all is not well at JCrew.

The New York fashion week presentation, therefore, comes at a crunch moment for the label. Lyons came out, all guns blazing – or, given the J Crew obsession with sequins, sparkling. “I think we were missing the sparkle a little,” said Lyons, pointing out a multicoloured sequin minidress, worn over a button down skirt and under a double-breasted tweed coat. “We’d gotten a little bit quiet. It’s not just us – fashion generally has gone a bit quiet, I think. So this season I was like: ‘Damn, give me sequins!’”

As Lyons posed for photos with starstruck fashion groupies, the head of women’s design, Tom Mora, expanded on how the team found inspiration in Peter Schlesinger’s photographic portraits of a flamboyant 1970s London set which included David Hockney, Tina Chow, Paloma Picasso and Cecil Beaton. “What I loved was how much elegance and energy and freedom there was in the way they dressed, not just for evening but day-to-day.” The 70s silhouettes – which are already making a strong showing among New York fashion week goers wearing flared trousers, long A-line skirts and polo necks – were abundant in the new collection.

J Crew has recently opened stores in London, and the British influence was evident in the menswear, where designer Frank Muytjens had hit upon his colours of the season at a specialist fair selling vintage army and navy clothing in Folkestone, Kent. While the womenswear was a magpie’s feast of sunshine yellow, rose pink and rich purple, menswear blended in muted tones of olive, grey, camel and tobacco.

Muytjens, wearing a tobacco silk scarf with ivory polka dots tucked neatly beneath the lapel of his knitted navy blazer, shrugged. “That’s the difference between a guy and a girl. Our man doesn’t want to be visible from 10 blocks away because of the colour of his shirt.”

The J Crew woman, by contrast, is a peacock, albeit a practically dressed one. Editors and stylists arrived, shivering and shaking snow from their hair, to stand sighing in front of a tan parka fully lined with yolk-yellow fake fur, and sumptuous roll-neck sweaters layered under gold-buttoned blazers. Sequins sparkled under parkas, and sprouted in tufts from cosy sweaters. “Sequins are the new black,” proclaimed Lyons. She was smiling.

Oh to have Frank Muytjens design a capsule collection for the Women's line...

I will say I love the sequins in the upcoming Fall/Winter collection. They are completely unpractical for my lifestyle, but oh so pretty! I am also thrilled to see a nice combination of neutrals (with the grey tones) mixed in with the colors (rich purples and yellows). Color me impressed!

What are your thoughts on the article? Any point that you agreed or disagreed with? If so, please share! :)

Behind the Scenes at New York Fashion Week & J.Crew

"Thanks!" to  many of you, including Unknown (in this post), who let us know that J.Crew is posting some behind the scenes photos throughout their social media sites:

• J.Crew {facebook}
• J.Crew {770 blog}
• J.Crew {instagram}
• J.Crew {pinterest}

Here are just a few of the images that they posted so far:

Is it weird that I am looking forward to this year's Fall/Winter already? Can't wait to see more photos of their event.

J.Crew's Fall/Winter 2015 presentation is scheduled for this Tuesday during New York Fashion Week. You can also search #jcrewnyfw for of-the-moment updates on the show.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming collection? Are you excited about any piece in particular?

Coming Soon! Madewell at Net-a-Porter & Nordstrom

"Thanks!" to many of you, including twentysomethingsimple (in this post), as well as cousy (in this post), who let us know some super exciting news from Madewell. The following is from Fashionista (click here to read in its entirety):
 Madewell to Sell at Net-a-Porter, Nordstrom and Internationally

Head designer Somsack Sikhounmuong talks about the expansion of J.Crew's sister brand.
By Chantal Fernandez
February 6, 2015

J.Crew's sales growth may be slowing, but that hasn't stopped Madewell from dreaming bigger things. The casual, denim-focused retailer, a division of the J.Crew Group, has outlined its plans for a major expansion on all fronts: starting this month, it will sell some of its goods through third-party retailers -- specifically, Nordstrom and Net-a-Porter -- and plans to open 15 more standalone stores by the end of the year. The brand will also begin shipping internationally through its e-commerce site.

As early as Feb. 24, over 70 Madewell pieces will go on sale at Nordstrom.com, followed by arrivals in 15 Nordstrom stores on March 6. On Feb. 25,  Net-a-Porter will begin selling 50 Madewell products. International shipping will be available on Madewell.com sometime before year's end. The first shipments to both retailers have focused heavily on denim.

"We’re being really careful," said Somsack Sikhounmuong, Madewell's head of design. "We’ve talked about it and thought about it before, and we’ve finally found partners who will help us grow in the right way." The 'we' he refers to undoubtedly includes Madewell founder and CEO of the J. Crew Group, Mickey Drexler. "This, for us, is really a new beginning," said Drexler to WWD. "I wouldn’t call it necessarily a wholesale distribution. I would just call it distribution that makes sense from a customer point of view, from a brand point of view, from a Nordstrom and Net-a-Porter point of view."

This new beginning comes after a period of strong growth. In the last three years, Madewell has opened 54 stores, bringing the current total to 85. Sales were up 32 percent in the first three quarters of 2014 compared to the previous year, in contrast to J.Crew, which saw a 6 percent increase in sales (and a 2 percent decrease in comparable sales) during that same period.

For Sikhounmuong and his team, growing in the right way means not sacrificing the Madewell aesthetic. "We definitely pride ourselves for the in-store experience," he said. "[With Nordstrom] we’ve had proper meetings, we’ve gone through styling to make sure things felt Madewell still. They’ve been more than happy and more than cooperative in making sure our vision was carried through." Sikhounmuong also said that the way Nordstrom presents its Topshop collection positively influenced Madewell's decision to create a similar partnership.

Madewell's arrangement with Net-a-Porter is modeled after the one J.Crew and the site established in 2010. "Net-a-Porter has proven to be an valuable partner to J.Crew, there’s no reason to mess with a formula that works," said Sikhounmuong in a follow-up email.

J.Crew, as any regular shopper knows, is an aggressive discounter -- but Madewell promotions are rarer. When asked if there were concerns about lack of control over discounting at these new retail partners, Sikhounmuong said, "it is the nature of doing that kind of business, wholesaling, so we get it."

As for the company's day to day business, Sikhounmuong insists the new partnerships haven't changed his work. "I think it's an opportunity to meet new customers and service new customers," he says. "Time will tell, maybe in the future there may be projects here and there between the two us, but in terms of in my head, day to day, it hasn’t changed." Madewell fans should be comforted by the designer's focus on consistency and hopefully larger exposure won't necessitate design changes down the road.

"One step at a time," said Sikhounmuong. Well, in this case, more like three steps.

Update: An earlier version of the article stated that Madewell's partnership with Nordstrom and Net-a-Porter marked the first time the brand has been sold by a different retailer. Madewell has been sold through Shopbop since 2009.

This is super exciting news indeed! I think it's great to see Madewell teaming up with Net-a-Porter and Nordstrom. Both businesses focus on high-customer satisfaction and offer superior products. Nice move indeed!

I also think there is something to be said about Madewell versus J.Crew sales during the same quarter. (Referring to the following quote: "Sales were up 32 percent in the first three quarters of 2014 compared to the previous year, in contrast to J.Crew, which saw a 6 percent increase in sales (and a 2 percent decrease in comparable sales) during that same period.") I am one of those shoppers that have seen my purchases at Madewell {significantly} increase in the past few months. Meanwhile, my purchases at J.Crew have not been the same compared to previous years. (Still shopping at J.Crew, just not as much.) Instead, I have been gravitating to Madewell's jeans (hello legging jean, never looking back!), bags (transport tote, I am in love!), accessories (can't stop wearing the blanket scarf!) and shoes (billie boot, amazing!). At least my money is staying within the J.Crew family. ;)

What are your thoughts on this latest Madewell news? Are you surprised to see the brand being sold at other outlets? If so, please share! :)

Does J.Crew Still Heart Forever Jenna Lyons? {probably}

"Thanks!" to many of you, including st (in this post), who let us know about the following article from Page Six (click here to read in its entirety):

J.Crew’s Jenna Lyons told to ‘cut back on self-promotion’
By Emily Smith
December 21, 2014

J.Crew’s fabulous creative director Jenna Lyons is facing internal calls to cut back on her own self-promotion after the brand suffered a massive slowdown in its women’s business.

Sources tell Page Six that — after a dismal earnings report that saw the company go from a net income of $35.4 million to a reported loss of $607.8 million in just a year — style icon Lyons is being ordered by her bosses to focus more on the business and less on her own brand.

One source told us, “J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler is tired of Jenna Lyons being out on the circuit and not paying attention to business.”

While J.Crew’s sales slumped, company president and executive creative director Lyons had a guest role on “Girls” as Lena Dunham’s boss, graced a White House fashion summit, hired a ­4-year-old blogger who appeared with Lyons in publicity stills, attended Solange Knowles’ wedding in a runway-ready outfit, and appeared in spreads for Harper’s Bazaar, O Magazine, the New York Times, Vogue and Yahoo.

On top of that, she most recently schmoozed with the Duchess of Cambridge during the British royal’s visit to New York. And we also noticed that all the models at J.Crew’s recent Fashion Week presentations seemed to bear an uncanny resemblance to the much-admired, bespectacled Lyons.

The more low-key Drexler, who did not comment for this story, recently admitted to WWD that women’s apparel and accessory sales have been hit hard. On Dec. 5, Moody’s downgraded J.Crew for its weak sales figures. “We’ve had a very tough year and I, along with the team, own this,” Drexler told WWD. “We saw a significant slowdown in our women’s business. We own that even more. In that regard, we need to improve.”

He added that — even though we can’t imagine Lyons in jogging bottoms — the company would branch into leisure and athletic wear.

A J.Crew spokeswoman said, “This is completely inaccurate and couldn’t be farther from reality.”

Well, it is not surprising that J.Crew would deny this story. However, doesn't it feel like this story could totally be true??? It does seem like Jenna Lyons is everywhere as of late while the women's side of J.Crew has totally lost its focus.

We have mentioned before all the issues of where J.Crew needs to focus on. Refer to last month's "J.Crew's Women's Collection Is Costing Millions" post for a refresher. Frankly, I have noticed that customers are not as excited about J.Crew as they use to be. Don't get me wrong, there are still items that are selling out like crazy (Chateau Parka anyone?). However, there are way more items just lingering in the sale section (untouched and unwanted).

Do I think Jenna Lyons is at fault? No, not entirely. But she does bare some responsibility. She is at the helm of the ship and so she owns a part of J.Crew's current problems.

Personally, I think it is because her tastes have grown away from J.Crew. What do I mean? For awhile, Jenna was dressing like a fashion forward J.Crew customer. Now she is dressing fashion forward for the fashion forward world. Two different worlds as shown in the image above (both inset pictures are Jenna "before" and the main picture is Jenna "after".).

Listen, I don't dress the exact same way I did 10 years ago. The stores I shop at are different too. I understand that people grow and so do their tastes (including wardrobe). But let's not pretend that Jenna  is still a J.Crew customer. I fear she is not.

What are your thoughts on the article? Do you think it is true or not? Do you think Jenna Lyons should take a step back? Please share! :)

JCA In the News {twice!}

"Thanks!" to many of you, including Leah, CMG, FirefighterWife, Sandra, as well as JCrewGal (in this post), who let us know that the JCA's "Cece is Back at J.Crew! Well, is it?" post was mentioned in a few articles:

• StyleCaster "Customers are Accusing J.Crew of Cutting Corners on Quality"
• Refinery29 "J.Crew's Shoppers Are Not So Happy About This "Good News"
• KPopStarz "Is J. Crew Cutting Corners With New Cece Leather Ballet Flats? Customers Notice Changes In Discontinued Shoe But Price Stays The Same"
• Business Insider "Customers Accuse J.Crew Of Selling Lower Quality Shoes For The Same Price"
• DailyMail "J.Crew is accused of cutting corners on new shoe quality - while keeping prices the same"
• Racked "Is J.Crew Cutting Corners on New Shoe Quality?"

The comment section from the DailyMail is definitely worth reading. Many readers were not surprised that a retailer would cut costs/corners by reducing the quality. However, there were quite a number of comments discussing the recent quality direction of J.Crew. I wonder if J.Crew's decision to change up the Cece will impact their bottom line...

Personally, I am disappointed by the move. I wanted to see the exact same Cece from last year being offered this year. The same quality, the same fit, the same everything. As I mentioned before, when I saw the new Cece in person, they looked different. Sigh. Well, on a bright note, the new Cece is still better than the Emma Flat. ;)

Are you excited about Cece's return to J.Crew? Did you think J.Crew was going to bring them back with the premise they were still made in Italy?

J.Crew's Jenna Lyons Meets Duchess Kate

A big "thanks!" to traderscoobies, Gina, as well as WellFedFred (in this post) who shared the exciting news about J.Crew's Jenna Lyons meeting Duchess Kate. The following is from Vanity Fair (click here to read in its entirety):

Jenna Lyons Is Psyched That Duchess Kate Wore J. Crew Jeans to Meet Beyoncé
By Josh Duboff
December 9, 2014

After a busy morning, which included a visit to the 9/11 Memorial and the new 1 World Trade Center building, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made their way to Gramercy shortly after one P.M. for the Creativity is GREAT reception at private workspace NeueHouse. The couple mingled for about 30 minutes with around 80 different members of the British creative and art industries, including Harvey Weinstein and Georgina Chapman, Sir Patrick Stewart, and Jenna Lyons, while munching on fare including scotch egg bites, pea-soup shooters, and salmon gravlax on cucumber.

...Lyons, the J. Crew creative director, who chatted with Kate briefly during the reception, told us she was elated to have met the Duchess. “My father’s British so I grew up going to England every summer and sometimes for Christmas,” she said. “I will say, it feels very powerful [meeting Kate]. I can imagine for her, she’s just a normal person—but it doesn’t feel like that to me. She’s, in essence, a true version of a princess. She’s lovely, gracious. It was incredibly exciting.”

Lyons said that the two of them talked “for two seconds” about Kate meeting Beyoncé and Jay Z at the Barclays Center last night. When asked if Kate had ever worn J. Crew before, Lyons looked like she might explode with glee. “Believe it or not, I was told she wore J. Crew jeans last night to the game,” she said. “I was so excited. You couldn’t tell, but that’s okay. At least I know that fact.”

Very cool to hear that the Duchess, who has impeccable style, wore J.Crew jeans. How exciting, indeed!

On a different note, what is Jenna wearing?!? The image above (from here) shows her entire outfit. Personally, I think it looks like a hot mess. More importantly though, I want to know what Captain Jean-Luc Picard (aka Patrick Stewart) thinks about her outfit. ;)

What are your thoughts on the article? Agree or disagree with Jenna's choice of outfit? If so, please share! :)

American Express + J.Crew = $25 off $125+

A big "thanks!" to JRSConnifer (in this post) who shared the following news with us:

... there is an American Express promo going on through 12/24/14, spend $125 and get $25 back.

Definitely sign up and register if you have an American Express card! :)

J.Crew's New Collaboration Involves 4 Year Old

"Thanks!" to many of you, including Katie, as well as Suzy (in this post) and JSR (in this post) who gave us a heads up about J.Crew's most recent earnings report. The following from Refinery29 (click here to read in its entirety) sums up their newest hire:

Why J.Crew Hired A 4-Year-Old
By Stephanie Sporn
December 10, 2014

Though she be but little, Mayhem is fierce. The 4-year-old already has her own sartorial pseudonym, and now, she can add an unbelievably adorable Crewcuts collab to her resume.

We first met the budding Ohio fashion designer back in February when the world swooned over her handmade creations. Working primarily with paper, tissue, tape, and this holiday season, gift wrap and glittery garlands, Mayhem would slay a Project Runway unconventional-material challenge. With the help of her “assistant paper dress maker,” otherwise known as Mom, Mayhem was able to live out her stylish fantasies, whether it was remaking their versions of the red carpet’s most talked about gowns, or simply constructing original styles.

Between the mother-daughter duo’s blog, Instagram, and rave reviews from the press, J.Crew just happened to find its next collaborator. “When we met with Mayhem for the first time we were really curious to see how she would work and were amazed to watch this barely 4-year-old girl start meticulously folding the pleats on a skirt and placing stones very specifically and carefully on a top she had just fashioned around herself,” Jenny Cooper, head of Crewcuts design, said. “She has such an inventive and creative personality that really resonated with us.”

This spring, Fashion by Mayhem for Crewcuts will debut in a nine-piece capsule collection — not too shabby for someone who's yet to graduate elementary school — with items starting at $22.50. Jewels, pom-poms, and tassels give the clothing an appropriately whimsical feel that’s sure to win over her peers, just as they did Jenna Lyons. While it’s obvious that this crafty kid is having the time of her life, the goal is ultimately to inspire other young designers (and their DIY-pro parents) to take their visions to the next level, too. Click on to see a first peek at the lineup, and the mini visionary testing out her designs’ twirl capabilities. (Spoiler alert: They're impressive.)

 "Thanks!" to Katie, who shared the following as well:

... excited to announce our partnership with Fashion by Mayhem (http://www.fashionbymayhem.com/) launching this spring at Crewcuts, for J.Crew's youngest fans.

Mayhem became an internet sensation earlier this year after recreating red carpet looks from the Oscars and the Met Ball using construction paper and colorful tape from her home in Ohio.  This 4 year old little girl and designer has created a 9 piece collection which will be available later this spring.

We are so amazed and inspired by her creativity, and we're thrilled to be bringing her designs to our crewcuts customers and hopefully inspiring them too!  All of the items are under $100 (starting at at $22.50) and the whimsical collection includes clothing as well as shoes and accessories.

Jenny Cooper, Head of Crewcuts Design:
"When we met with Mayhem for the first time we were really curious to see how she would work and were amazed to watch this barely 4 year old girl start meticulously folding the pleats on a skirt and placing stones very specifically and carefully on a top she had just fashioned around herself.  She has such an inventive and creative personality that really resonated with us. It was great to have a truly creative child be at the heart of the design process. "

First and foremost, the 4 year old is adorable! I remember reading about the mother/daughter blog awhile back and thought the mother was most creative. It will be interesting to see what they do for the Crewcuts line.

What are your thoughts on this latest collaboration? Are you excited to see what pieces are put together for the collection?

J.Crew's Women's Collection Is Costing Millions

*eh, nice outfit?

"Thanks!" to Shopalot (in this post) who gave us a heads up about J.Crew's most recent earnings report. The following from Racked (click here to read in its entirety) sums up their current situation:

J.Crew's Suffering Women's Business Is Costing It Millions
by Erika Adams
December 5, 2014

After posting a dismal earnings report yesterday, J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler sat down with WWD to explain how the company went from a net income of $35.4 million to a reported loss of $607.8 million in the span of one year.

In particular, women's apparel and accessories sales have been hit hard. Drexler reasons that a widespread downturn in apparel sales across the industry was partially to blame, but he's not above accepting that the company's womenswear is doing terrible right now. "We've had a very tough year and I, along with the team, own this," Drexler says. "We saw a significant slowdown in our women's business. We own that even more. In that regard, we need to improve."

In the future, those improvements may include dipping into apparel categories that Drexler previously said the company wouldn't touch, like athleisure. In regard to that specifically, Drexler says: "We are constantly evaluating percentages and the investments we make by category." In other words, it's no longer off limits.

While J.Crew's women's business is suffering, Madewell posted a 32% revenue gain, J.Crew's men's business hasn't declined, and Drexler is confident in the inventory currently in stores as opposed to six months ago. While Drexler maintains that J.Crew is in a difficult position for now, he says that the women's sector has survived low sales in the past and will continue to do so. "I don't like it," Drexler says. "It's never any fun. When it seems worse, it usually gets better. That being said, we all have a job to do. We are going to fight the fight and do a better job." 

"Thanks!" to several JCAs (in this post), who came up some very insightful feedback on J.Crew's current situation. The ones that really resonated with me included the following:

JSR (in this post) mentions:

My list of what needs to be done at corporate:

1. CHANGE your women's head designer.
2. Bring colors back.
3. No drop shoulders.
4. The oversized coats..too many that are ill fitting.
5. Bring back prints.
6. Stop making poly shirts.
7. Make pretty dresses with interesting cuts and designs. Not the straight sack kind. ...

Blakemdjohns (in this post) mentions:

My thoughts are: (1) there's way too much inventory. Instead of doing 6 similar droopy, oversized sweaters, do *one* really nice fitting sweater and do it well; (2) Quality. People will pay for quality. No more synthetics, no more seams that fall apart. No more buttons that are cheap and crack and/or fall off; (3) Stop trying to do all. the. trends. Leave the trendy stuff to the fast fashion retailers. Zippers, and bedazzled everything is just silly. Going back to number one, if you're going to do trends, so *one* thing and do it right.  I don't know who is approving these designs, but there's so much ill, fitting and poor quality garbage. Bring back well-fitting, high-quality classic items in gorgeous colors and prints. (Also, going back to number one, you don't have to make *everything* in a print). 

Cousy (in this post) mentions:

...But here's the thing I find confusing. J Crew produced some really nice items this season that sold out lightning fast - the paisley shirtdress, the elephant parade shoes, the cocoon coat in the gorgeous blue color, the #2 pencil in heather chartreuse - and there are many more that I don't remember. So why aren't they taking cues from the things that are selling well (color, print, structure etc.)? The offerings of this fall seem almost willful in their defiance of what customers want to buy. Drab, cheap-looking, common. Every time I see the ugly glen plaid dress or the hideous houndstooth dress with the black side panels I want to have a stiff drink and go to bed. I never thought J Crew would stoop so low.

But maybe this is good news - have the horrendous sales numbers made them realize that they have hit bottom? I think Mickey and gang have it in them to recover and my fingers are crossed that they will.

Personally, I am not too surprised that there was a slowdown in women's apparel and accessories. Why? Take a good look at the sale section. The sale page is overflowing with items that are not moving, no matter what the additional percent off might be.

For many of the reasons listed above by fellow JCAs, I have found myself less and less excited with J.Crew's rollout of new arrivals. Yes, there is still a piece or two that catches my eye (hello Chateau Parka!) However, I use to be excited about the whole roll-out. While I am at it, I use to be excited about getting the catalog in the mail. Now, I don't care if I save it or not.

One of main issues I have this season is poor fit. Everything is boxy and over-sized. For example, I am going down two whole sizes for the Chateau Parka. Most of the online reviewers had to do the same. Why, oh why, is it so huge to begin with???

What do I think J.Crew needs to do:

1. Get back to styling. Learn how to style the way you want your actual customers to wear it. Not the way your ultra-cool-Fashionista-industry-types (you know who I am talking about!) wear it. They can get away with "fashion forward" looks. The college graduate, corporate executive, and everything in-between can not get away with it in every day life. Lately, real life bloggers are rocking this better than J.Crew. Also, fire your current stylists. Really.
2. Quality. Enough said, right? Make sure we don't have to dry clean a cotton tee shirt. For real.
3. Fit. The items that stand the test of time are ones that look like they were tailored for the body. There is a reason the Bella is so well remembered. It is tailored and darted in a way to emphasize the benefits of a woman's body. 
4. Colors. This use to be one of their strengths. Get back to offering rich hues. Plus, offer them during the right season. Where are all the reds, greens, and bright colors for the Holiday roll-out? 
5. Prints. The cutesy prints are okay for a piece or two, but customers do not need any more of them. However stick to offering more classic prints and plaids that you know customers want (hello Black Watch plaid!)
6. Pricing. Why not start with reasonable price point of x, instead of offering a higher price point of y with an additional 25-30% off promo. It just doesn't make sense and it turns customers off. (I just rather wait for it on sale, because I know it will go on sale.)

So I hope J.Crew takes to heart the feedback listed above and throughout the blog. I hope they can turn things around, because I do very much love them!

What are your thoughts on J.Crew's recent earnings? Do you find it suprising or not? What would you recommend J.Crew take action on (if anything)?