however, i've noticed j crew has ditched its stifled prep for a style i define as 'edgy classic.' timeless pieces with thoughtful (and sometimes trendy) details that are polished enough for the office while being stylish enough for happy hour. perhaps its just the company's way of following the (now mainstream) 'hipster' trends, but the new j crew has caught my eye.
considering that most of my 20-something friends' wardrobes (particularly business wardrobes) boast the j crew label, i'd say the company has done a pretty bang up job of marketing and branding themselves toward their target market. j crew knows what i want, before i want it.
it turns out, j crew can attribute much of its success to its current creative director, jenna lyons (the weekly emails, jenna's picks? ...ah, it all makes sense now). she's been with the company for 20+ years, originally hired as an assistant (!). it is jenna who has mastered this sought-after look of classic elegance paired with distinct personality.
i must admit, i had no idea who jenna was, nor did i do any research on j crew until i received the spring 2011 catalog. the models were wearing this mesmerizing shade of coral-red lipstick--and it looked amazing on all of them. the shade is nars' heat wave, and it boasts suitability for all skin tones. predictably, jenna was responsible for the seemingly minute style decision that defines the spring collection and emphasizes this 'fresh classic' ideal that has become j crew's brand.
in short, effective branding is absolute. what at first glance may seem like a trivial design detail--a simple shade of lipstick--may define a brand far more than its supposedly significant branding and advertising counterparts. j crew has seamlessly and comprehensively communicated its brand to its market- even down to the shade of lipstick.
Photos courtesy of EnVogueMundo
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