J.Crew today presented its Spring 2014 collection for the third consecutive year at New York Fashion Week.
Instead of the typical runway show, male and female models stood for an hour of perusal in J.Crew's latest fashions. Of note: a bevy of floral prints, a few classy twists on crop tops, and only one pair of thick-framed glasses on the ladies, which have peppered models' faces in the past.
Much of the attention on J.Crew typically surrounds CEO Mickey Drexler, a retail industry legend, or executive creative director Jenna Lyons. But Drexler was out of the country and Lyons deferred interviews on the collection to Tom Mora, head of women's design.
The retailer, which is owned by private-equity firms TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners, made $2.2 billion in sales for the year ended Feb. 2, a 20% jump. It operates 307 stores including outlets, Madewell and Crewcuts. Women's apparel accounted for 57% of revenue, men's was 24%, children's was 6%, and accessories were 13%. J.Crew will report second-quarter earnings on Thursday.
Below, photos of the looks, and the designers' "inspiration" for the apparel.
"I imagined a movie about the beach with two stories happening simultaneously: The first centers around surfing the California coast," Tom Mora, head of women's design at J.Crew, said.
"This rugged sportiness is set against a second story: the European beach culture at the turn of the century." The first includes floral prints and bold colors, while the latter includes whites, lace, and "gondolier-inspired stripes," he said.
"Spring is inspired by the American National Parks," according to Frank Muytjens, head of men's design at J.Crew.
"We re-examined classic menswear and updated the fabrications and tailoring — giving it a modern, relevant feel," he said. "The palette is very earthy in dusty browns, burn sienna, warm orange, but offset by sage, teals, aqua, and cool grays. Faded, sun-bleached effects are focal as well as botanical impressions inspired by Cyanotype prints from the 1800s."
