J.Crew creative director's secret to fashionThere is another video about the behind the "behind the scenes" interview:
CBS News
November 19, 2014
Jenna Lyons is one of the most influential women in fashion. As creative director at J.Crew, she is credited with giving the brand its unique style, catering to everyone from celebrities to students. But as the company struggles with falling profits and tries to expand abroad, Lyons has her work cut out for her.
She's more than game for a challenge, reports "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell. Walking around with Lyons at the J.Crew office, you might notice one thing about her: she wears five-inch heels.
"I feel like I can see everything better," she said. "I can see over all the aisles, I feel a little bit more glamorous, especially on those days when, you know, I have a lot going on." But at six feet tall, she doesn't have a height complex.
And if Lyons has no aversion to heights, it's because she's scaled a lot of them. As president and creative director at J.Crew, Lyons helped transform a once-homespun mail-order brand into a multi-billion dollar retail powerhouse.
"I always liked being surrounded by pretty things, and sometimes those pretty things looked beautiful next to each other, and sometimes they actually created a strange magic. Those things happen when you come home after a night and you throw off your blazer and all of a sudden it's landing on top of your necklace and it's landing on top of a blouse that you wore the day before. Clearly, I'm very neat," Lyons said, laughing. "And all of a sudden they form something different that you might not have thought about."
Lyons has no problem admitting to the inspiration for her genius; she gets her ideas from the pile of clothes on the floor.
"I'm not gonna lie, I do," she said. "There you go, that's the secret."
Lyons grew up in California, sewing her own clothes and dog-earing catalogs from her future employer. She moved to New York to attend Parsons School of Design and, after interning at Donna Karan, joined J.Crew in 1990.
She described her role there as an assistant to an assistant to somebody else's assistant.
"Yeah, it was like that," she said. "I think I sat in a hallway with my computer sort of with an extension cord plugged in."
But she felt much more at home at J.Crew than she did at Donna Karan.
"Having not been sort of like the cool kid in school, and being a little bit of the outcast when I was younger, I remember one of the first couple of times when I felt attractive or beautiful," she recalled. "And I realized that that was important to me, to be able to do that for everyone, not just people who had the ability to write a $2,000 check for a jacket."
She insisted she wasn't the popular kid growing up. "Oh God, not by a long shot," she said. "No, I was unfortunately incredibly tall, oddly skinny."
She also dealt with a personal issue that had other students making fun of her. "I have a genetic disorder called incontinentia pigmenti," she said, "and the result of that means that I had bald spots on my head, which I didn't even know I had until the girls were talking about me behind my back in school."
Lyons faced bullying. "I got beaten up quite a bit... on the way home from school, yes," she admitted. "It's traumatic, but it also, I think, is an opportunity to decide what you wanna do with that. Like, you have two ways to go. You can crawl under a rock, or you can actually decide to do something with it."
Lyons didn't seek out a rock, though she did endure some hard places. Her early career survived a decade of turmoil as J.Crew shuffled its looks and its leadership. It took Mickey Drexler, the so-called "king of retail," named CEO in 2003, to finally define J.Crew's aesthetic and five years later, to charge Lyons with curating it.
People have said that she and Mickey have a very special relationship, drawing comparisons to the relationship between Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive at Apple.
"I was going with Sonny and Cher, but okay," she said. "There is no question I think he is an inspiration. He gets excited to the same level of excitement he did the first day he walked in here."
In a few seasons, J.Crew clothing went from cloistered and collegiate, to laid-back, grown-up, big-city cool. Its stock surged when first lady Michelle Obama and her daughters wore J.Crew outfits at the 2009 inauguration.
"I do a hula dance when I'm in the airport and someone walks by in a coat, you know?" she said. "When Michelle Obama came out in our outfit, I think the hula dance turned up a notch. And to have the First Lady feel accessible for America? That's really never happened before."
For some, it still hasn't. J.Crew prices do start in the single digits, but can reach well into the hundreds of dollars. There are some sweaters that sell for $98, but others are priced at $800 -- not necessarily the most accessible price.
"We had some of the more expensive pieces in the catalog, that was something that we got feedback on and we have changed," she said. We still have that product, but it's certainly not for everyone."
They've also received feedback on a recent addition to their clothing line. In July, J.Crew suffered criticism for introducing a 000 size. "Interestingly enough, part of that was driven by the fact that we launched a store in Asia, so we opened our first store in Hong Kong, and some of the people that were living there had tried on our double zero and said, 'it's actually not small enough,'" she explained.
They were shocked, and knew they had to change to fit their new customer base. "I think there was some idea that maybe we were doing it for, you know, vanity sizing, which, I mean, absolutely was not the case," Lyon said. "We got a lot of negative feedback; we also got a lot of positive feedback from people who are like, 'No, no, no. It's for me, it's for me. Don't take it away.'"
Beyond Hong Kong, J.Crew also opened in London and, come Spring, will be in Paris. The expansion comes despite a bruising year, in which second-quarter profits fell almost 40 percent.
"I've been incredibly fortunate, I have to say, oddly enough, to have been through this before -- we've had tough quarters before," she said. "We've had tough moments. As much as it's hard to go through, I'm not worried," said Lyon, adding, "We have not peaked."
There is also a video about J.Crew selecting their colors that is totally worth a viewing:How J.Crew Colors Get Their Wild Names
By Katy Hall
November 13, 2014
Looking through the J.Crew website this season may give you ideas for a holiday party menu. There's a cashmere sweater in harvest grape, moccasins in dark nutmeg and chinos in melted caramel and fresh sage.
"People really respond to food," said Tom Mora, head of women's design at the company. "I've never heard a person not feel happy about eating. It's that emotion or smile on your face. These colors all have distinct smells or tastes to them."
Food is just one of many things that inspire the names of the more than 100 colors J.Crew invents every season. Seasonal smells, flowers and destinations can all work to shift a red to dark poppy, or a neutral beige to sandy shore. The continual supply of bold new colors, painstakingly curated and named, is one reason the catalog resembles a lifestyle magazine and the brand has earned cult status.
But before the colors are named, the colors themselves have to be selected. Mora and other color creators, including color librarian Cherie Zavitz (who has "the coolest job EVER," she said), start with a "mood board" in the company's color library in downtown Manhattan. They post items that set the collection's mood: vintage clothing, leather wallets, scraps of paper or silk. This season's neon electric flame, seen here in the stadium-cloth cocoon coat, started off as a "really intense shoelace," Mora said.
Once the seasonal palette is set, each color is dyed onto a fabric swatch and given a name that reflects the feel of the collection. "Whether we're going on a trip to Spain or the 1920s in Berlin or the California coast, you start thinking of what that does in your head," said Mora. "That's where you start getting the words you can kind of associate with the colors as well."
Summer collections may have a tropical or warm feel: neon flamingo, reef blue and even pebble can evoke a sunny day at the beach. Fall takes on a more weathered, outdoorsy tone with rich colors that are burnished or icy or crisp or rusty. Color names can go in a lot of directions -- and they have, considering J.Crew has coined thousands of them -- but there are a couple of things the company tries to avoid. One is being creative to the point of obscurity.
"We don't want to start naming names in terms of a town or get too specific," Mora said. "That confuses people. They need to get it immediately from the sound of the name. Sometimes when you have a name that doesn't include the color, like dusty cobblestone, it kind of does feel like a cobblestone. They still know what that is."
He added that sometimes colors just sound like they would smell bad: "Sometimes the two words together, like burnt something or ripe something, are like, ew!"
Simplicity can work just as well as the most imaginative names. Bright colors pair well with J.Crew's signature neutrals. Jenna Lyons, the company's creative director, lists adding a pop of color as one of her 10 style rules. "Color isn't easy for anyone," she told The Guardian. "It's not easy for me! It's a challenge. It feels good to embrace a challenge."
Standby colors like black, white and khaki aren't going anywhere. Those swatches are labeled and pinned on the wall in the color library -- along with the thousands of past colors that might make a comeback, if the designers and customers love them enough.
"There are always the favorites," Mora said. "You know it's a great color when the customer comes in asking for it by name." Two old favorites that have resurfaced this season are golden sun and brilliant flame.
J.Crew Poobah Mickey Drexler Finally Lets Us Into His BrainRemember when J.Crew did carry a Yoga line? That was a long time ago. But I do tend to agree that is an area they should not focus on.
By Adele Chapin
October 21, 2014
J.Crew's chairman and CEO Mickey Drexler answered tough questions about the current state of retail from Bloomberg Television anchor Stephanie Ruhle yesterday, and his comments offer insight into the inner workings of Drexler's brain and, perhaps, J.Crew's current strategy.
There is one direction Drexler says J.Crew definitely won't be pursuing, and that's activewear. He told Ruhle: "Well I'll tell you where we thought about being in, was the active professional kind of business, the yoga or the Under Armour kind of business, but we're not getting in because we don't have the expertise to do that. We're getting into businesses that we're going to be more aggressive about, more ambition about, and invest more, but we're pretty satisfied with the breadth of our products. And now it's a matter of the correct expansion, correct design involvement, and quality. And I say quality because that's really important."
So no J.Crew-branded yoga pants for the foreseeable future. Is it because the J.Crew realizes they can't do this better than Under Armour, as Drexler says? Maybe because J.Crew knows its shopper so well, and trendy athleisure wear doesn't fit into that vision. Or Drexler afraid of reaching into new product lines and overextending, after his experience at Gap.
Ruhle also wanted to know what Drexler thinks of fast fashion. For the record, Drexler likes Zara. He says of Zara: "If you want clothes that don't last a long time and you want to be of the moment and you want a designer look, from what I hear—I don't wear their clothes—you might go there. It's not going to be in your wardrobe a year from today. I think they know that. They're really good at what they do. We on the other hand make clothes that we want people to keep and never throw out.
And in an era where nearly every store is offering deals left and right, Drexler admires retailers who never go on sale. "I am so jealous of Louis Vuitton, okay?," he said. "And that's a 100, 200-year-old brand that has had high integrity for a couple of hundred years. You might add Chanel into that as the only perhaps other one out there and a few others."
Since the world is "over-stored" and "over-garmented," Drexler suggests, retailers have to differentiate their products and can't rely on price slashing—even if customers demand it. "I think the retailer has to have pride and integrity in what they do. And there are enough of us left out there, maybe much less who aren't playing the price game. It's what we do. It is hard, but nothing's ever been easy," he said.
Sneak peek: J.Crew's spring collection
By Carly Mallenbaum
September 8, 2014
Didn't nab an invite to the J. Crew show at New York Fashion Week? Not to worry. USA TODAY has a sneak peek at the J. Crew spring looks that will launch Tuesday in New York and hit stores across the country next year.
Men's
"We looked at a French Mediterranean fishing village" while designing the spring line, says Frank Muytjens, head of J.Crew men's design. He observed the way fishermen "mend their nets, how they sit on the dock in their gear, what they wear (and how) it gets old and tattered." For the collection, that translated into "dusty pastels" and "lots of navies, blues and washed-out denims" reminiscent of the ocean.
One particular look pairs a fresh Japanese indigo chambray pant with a classic shawl-collared cardigan. The tapered pants could also be worn with a full suit, or just with a T-shirt and white sneakers, Muytjens says. The cardigan, which is made of dry hand cotton, is meant for everything from a day at the office to a night on the beach.
The collection offers "the high and low, the mix of something something weathered with something clean and new-looking.
Women's
Tom Mora, head of J. Crew women's design, tried to bring the same "happy energy" that he felt while visiting Peru and Mexico, to his collection. "You eat late and you wear the same thing that you wore to the beach, to dinner," he says. The looks combine khakis, indigo, mossy greens, whites and pops of yellow; with linen, "couture mesh" and menswear-inspired blazers and pants. "It's casual and it also has a little bit of glamour."
The quirky sequined shorts seem to fit that the laidback vibe. "You can't feel uptight when you're wearing them," Mora says. The shorts, which have a drawstring, are made for slouching. Mora pairs them with a"new version of a jean jacket" that has a high-low hem. "It's the most beautiful vivid blue that reminds me of the ocean," he says of the jacket.
Mora says his clothes should feel "like taking a deep breath and letting it out."
The following is a press release about it found on Market Watch (click here to read in its entirety):
J.CREW and MasterCard Enhance Consumer Online Checkout Ahead of Holiday SeasonFirst things first... Did Jenna Lyons really say "MasterPass has paved the road to easy"? Because that is a phrase I cannot picture her saying... Or at least without giggling.
J.Crew Online Shoppers Can Now Use MasterPass(R) at Checkout
November 4, 2013
For those looking to get a head start on their holiday shopping, J.Crew and MasterCard are making it a little simpler at jcrew.com. Starting in November, consumers can take advantage of MasterPass(TM) at checkout. This digital wallet service enables shoppers to use any payment card or enabled device to unlock a simplified and speedier checkout experience whether they're at home, in a store or on the go.
With MasterPass, shoppers can pay for the things they want with the security they demand, through the simple click of a mouse, touch of a tablet or tap of a smartphone. The wallet securely stores shoppers preferred payment and shipping information which is readily accessible when they click on the Buy with MasterPass button and log into their account.
"The world of online shopping is changing rapidly. Customers want ease and simplicity. MasterPass has paved the road to easy," said Jenna Lyons, president and executive creative director, J.Crew. "We were thrilled to partner with MasterCard and to be one of the first to share in this new technology."
"The Master Card team put together a great campaign to support the launch of MasterPass and we are thrilled to be partnering on such an exciting initiative, especially during the busy holiday shopping season."
The introduction of MasterPass at the J.Crew online checkout will be supported by an integrated marketing program that includes the launch of a new advertising spot - the first for MasterPass and J.Crew - focused on J.Crew's seasonal offerings and highlighting MasterPass as shoppers' shortcut to online holiday shopping at J.Crew. The program will also encompass digital and social initiatives set to kick off in November.
"We've all experienced the frustration of attempting to quickly input payment and shipping information when shopping online only to receive repeated error messages," said Michael Cyr, group executive, U.S. Customer Delivery, MasterCard. "MasterPass eliminates this by providing shoppers with a faster, easier online checkout enhancing their shopping experience and leaving them more time to enjoy the things that matter most."
Cardholders can sign up at www.masterpass.com/jcrew or by clicking on the 'Buy with MasterPass' button when checking out at www.jcrew.com starting this November. As MasterPass continues to evolve, J.Crew online customers will be provided additional tools and engagement mechanisms to further enhance their shopping experience through intelligent, easy-to-use offerings.
MasterPass is a digital service that allows consumers to use any payment card or enabled device to discover enhanced shopping experiences that are as simple as a click, tap or touch - online, in-store or anywhere. The MasterPass suite of services includes: MasterPass checkout services to provide merchants a consistent way to accept electronic payments regardless of where the consumer may be; MasterPass-connected wallets to enable banks, merchants and partners to offer their own wallets; and, MasterPass value added services to enrich the shopping experience before, during and after checkout.
...The retailer, which says the video above is its first national TV ad, is running a marketing campaign with MasterPass, the digital payment platform that MasterCard introduced in February. Like other digital wallet apps, customers can store their billing and shipping information in MasterPass — whether it’s MasterCard, Visa, American Express and so on — to avoid reentering the data, in a bid to make online shopping more seamless. ...As for MasterPass itself, it sounds like it just stores your credit information. J.Crew already stores credit card information online for a speedy checkout. So I am not clear on what are the advantages with MasterPass. If someone could explain the benefits, which I think I am missing, I would love to know.
The 30-second spot showcases J.Crew’s holiday collection — complete with square frames — through a family photo shoot. ...
It will air on network and cable TV from Nov. 4 through Dec. 8th, as well as on YouTube and Hulu.
we love shoes—and so does Jenna (she has about 289 pairs…). she takes us to Pisa, Italy, where we’ve been making our shoes for 22 years, and shows us around her very own collection…
This Is Personal: J.Crew Debuts An In-Store Styling AppLike the article mentions, this is an extension of the very personal
By Lexi Nisita
February 14, 2013
The thing about J.Crew is...well, it's just great. Wearable basics meet fashion-forward statement pieces? What's not to love! There's just one catch. The catalogues are so immaculately styled, every bit so perfectly placed, that it's easy to wander off into dreamland — and then find yourself in the store wearing a totally hideous combination, wondering where you went wrong.
Well, those days are over. The beloved retail chain, and creative brainchild of Jenna Lyons, has just launched an in-store styling app called Very Personal Stylist. It's an extension of the brand's already well-known Personal Stylist program, but free of charge and available on handy, in-store iPhones at the Columbus Circle (NYC) and Santa Monica (CA) locations, with more to come throughout 2013. Designed by Gin Lane Media, in collaboration with Partners & Spade, the app is a carefully-designed, ultra HD adventure through 12 style stories — six for men, six for women, complete with plenty of tips and tricks along the way.
Get a taste of the new feature in the video above. It's fun, but there is one side effect: We're pretty sure there's a 100% guarantee that you'll stop in at your nearest J.Crew in the next few days.
"Thanks!" to Allison, as well as Danielle (in this post) who let us know that J.Crew's French Hen Sweater (Item 14492; $95.00) made an appearance on the Today's Show Style segment on Fall Trends. The video clip is at the end of this post. Jump to minute 4:40 to catch the Hen!
"Thanks!" to Priview who shared the following article from Fashionista (click here to read in its entirety) with us:Solange Knowles Is the New Face of Madewell, Watch Her Be Flawless in This Behind-the-Scenes VideoVery cool news about Madewell's new campaign with Solange Knowles! I definitely see how her style matches Madewell's cooler, more stylish, brand.
By Dhani Mau
August 7, 2012
Good call, Madewell. In what we think is one of the most awesome celeb/brand marriages in recent memory, J.Crew’s cooler sister has tapped Beyoncé’s cooler sister as their new campaign star (sorry had to–but how about that’s really the last time we talk about Beyoncé in a story about Solange? Deal?).
We’re obsessed with Solange and Madewell in pretty much equal measure, so we’re very excited about this news; though it’s not all that surprising. Solange, who is signed to Next, has professed her love for J.Crew on multiple occasions (even to us), and attended a few of the brand’s fashion week presentations. Oh, and she went to the CFDA Awards with Jenna Lyons, about whom she had this to say:
I mean, we’re friends first. I of course love what she does at J.Crew. I just think it embodies my style in that it has so much color and texture and character but it’s classic with great tailoring and I think if you have one you have to have the other. And she’s just so freakin’ cool. What else can I say?
Her eclectic, quirky style does make a little more sense with Madewell than J.Crew. And while we love a good Jenna Lyons doppelganger, it’s nice to see someone front the brand who looks a little different from everyone else, but who still fits the brand’s aesthetic perfectly, and happens to be super pretty. See below for a very cute behind the scenes video from the campaign shoot of her looking flawless and “mixing well” and just making us want to be her best friend.
Garance Doré and J.Crew
Paris, France. Blogger, photographer, illustrator and author Garance Doré wears J.Crew her way, captured by photographer Scott Schuman.
Charlie Siem and J.Crew{sigh} I want to go to there. There are more great videos over at J.Crew's very own YouTube page (click here to check them all out!)
London, England. Classical violinist Charlie Siem wears J.Crew his way, captured by photographers Garance Doré and Scott Schuman.
"Thanks!" to Elaine (in this post) who raised a great style-related question:...First, I need someone to tell me how to start working scarves. I have a small box FULL of JC scarves because I can't resist the beautiful prints, but then they just sit there unworn!This topic pops up often in the fashion-blog-o-sphere. Truth is, it can be really tricky figuring out how to properly loop the scarf into a chic style around one's neck.
When I try to casually loop them around my neck atop a tank or cami, the way women in their 20s do (I'm 39), or the way the scarves are looped in the hero shots online, I look like a neckless bag lady and like I have no idea what I'm doing. ...
