Mickey Drexler offered a mea culpa in the Wall Street Journal last month, and shortly after resigned as CEO, clearing the way for former West Elm executive James Brett to take the reins. This news, coupled with Jenna Lyons’s departure in April, heralds a new beginning (of the end?) for J. Crew, one with fewer stores, a shrunken print catalog, and creatively restructured debt obligations. These changes buy time for Brett to implement his vision, but the band-aid won’t stay long on a gushing head wound. To me, Brett’s hire signals J. Crew’s intention to woo millennial shoppers with lower prices and more web-friendly designs, but J. Crew will do so at the risk of further alienating J. Crew loyalists. And the more I peruse the J. Crew website, the more convinced I become that J. Crew has lost its way. The designs are far from inspired, and are somehow bland and outré at the same time. Whatever the strategy, the next few months are critical for J. Crew’s survival. In the meantime, I will continue to wear my J. Crew bests and reminisce about better days.
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| J. Crew Resumé Dress (size 000; reviewed here) || J. Crew Schoolboy Blazer (size 00; factory version here) || Ann Taylor Modern Classic Pearl & Chain Necklace (past season) || Michael Kors Runway Gold-Tone Chronograph Watch || Kate Spade Heart of Gold Idiom Bangle || Louis Vuitton Neverfull Mon Monogram Monogram Canvas Tote || Ann Taylor Mila Leather Pumps |
J. Crew is currently running a store-wide 25% off sale (enter code YAYCLOTHES at checkout). One of my favorite work dresses, the J. Crew Resumé Dress, is included in the sale.
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| J. Crew Resumé Dress (size 00P; reviewed here) |
In other sale news, (almost) all sales styles are an extra 25% off at Bloomingdale’s with code TAKE25, including brands like Longchamp, Coach, and Tory Burch. Some picks: Longchamp Le Pliage Large Shoulder Tote, Longchamp Le Pliage Neo Large Tote, Coach Grain Leather Mercer 24 Satchel, Longchamp Le Pliage Nylon Weekender, and Longchamp Le Pliage Medium Shoulder Tote.
Happy shopping!
