J.Crew

J.Crew Opens Madison Avenue Men's Shop

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Under gray skies and the first honest wisps of fall, J.Crew unveiled its latest Men's Shop on Madison Avenue in New York City.

For a brand whose rep has been synonymous with rep stripes, wide wale corduroy and the Ivy League uniform, it's surprising that it took J.Crew this long to arrive in the neighborhood, since the Upper East Side is certainly the nexus of all that. Located on the corner of 79th Street, in a space formally occupied by a bank, the store is in many ways the apogee of J.Crew's recent menswear translation of preppy as Nantucket by way of Japan. The shop itself feels like an Alpine lodge, with knotty pine wood paneling covering walls, floor and seemingly everything else. Populate that with Quoddy boots, Barbour jackets, and lots and lots of plaid, and you've got what amounts to catnip for fans of the trad, Americana, or workwear look (whichever you prefer).

Some might choose the slightly pejorative "urban woodsman" though, and you can't really blame them. The trend metastasized to the point of self-parody, what with all those bearded 20-somethings head-to-toe in buffalo plaid, buying $250 axes and signing up for butchering classes. But you have to commend J.Crew, and head menswear designer Frank Muytjens, for navigating it without lingering to the point of definition. This fall season seems to be more about celebrating classic looks, classic brands-and as expressed by this new store-creating a shopping experience with some style and relaxed refinement (none of which you're going to find at American Apparel). And they do, balancing out the aforementioned ruggedness with Thomas Mason spread collar shirts and cashmere navy suits, both exclusive to this location.

Tags: J.Crew, Madison Avenue, mens fashion, menswear, new york city, stores

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The Classicist: 'Take Ivy' - The Original Preppy Handbook

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist

Take Ivy, with photos by Japan's T. Hayashida, is truly the original preppy handbook, first published way back in 1965 – in Japanese. In the early 1960s Kensuke Ishizu, the founder of an Ivy League-inspired clothing line called Van Jacket, commissioned Hayashida and three other Japanese disciples of clean-cut American style to go on a "fact-finding mission" to all of the States' eight Ivy League colleges – Havard, Yale, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Dartmouth, Brown and Cornell – chronicling every element of the students' style along the way. Hayashida took tens of thousands of photos at the colleges, then went on to document the stores the students patronized, the cars they drove and even Ivy League grads working on Madison Avenue. When first published in Japan the book sparked a huge trend for Ivy League fashion among Japanese youths who frequented Tokyo's hip Ginza shopping district.

In subsequent decades the book developed a huge cult following among sartorial connoisseurs, with rare original editions selling for thousands of dollars on eBay. The New York Times called it "a treasure of fashion insiders" and cited its influence on a number of men's fashion designers in an article last year, noting photocopied versions were being passed around design studios helping to spark a whole new trend. Now powerHouse Books is re-issuing the book this month, with a long-awaited English translation; J.Crew has also printed 300 limited edition copies in a special case in celebration to be sold in select J.Crew mens shops, the perfect accompaniment to the Ivy-inspired clothing on its shelves; J. Crew men's designer Frank Muytjens says he was "obsessed" by the book and it's timeless appeal.

Gallery: Take Ivy

While The Official Preppy Handbook, which came out 15 years later, is rather tongue-in-cheek, Take Ivy's approach to the subject is downright scholarly. The implications of 'Ivy Style' "go beyond the group of eight prestigious universities that belong to the Ivy League, American football, or the vine itself that covers the buildings of Ivy League schools," the authors note. "It is also not simply about Madison Avenue, Brooks Brothers, modern jazz and folk songs. They do play a part in defining 'Ivy' as a whole, but each of them is only a peripheral component.... In order to understand the spirit of 'Ivy', you must appreciate and master all aspects of American East Coast culture." Thus the back of the book features instructions on building the perfect Ivy League wardrobe including how to wear key items along with a whole compendium of the Ivy League ethos.

Tags: books, Brooks Brothers, clothing, coffee table books, eBay, Harvard, Ivy League, J.Crew, Japan, mens style, menswear, photography, powerHouse Books, preppy, Princeton, Tokyo, university, Yale

Tell Us Everything, Fashion Consultant Amanda Brooks

by Carrie N. Culpepper (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Tell Us Everything

The fashion world knows Amanda Brooks and, although you may not know her name, you've likely seen her - on the pages of the J.Crew catalog; appearing in a TOD'S ad campaign, and sporadically being featured in fashion magazines and on society pages. The former creative director of Tuleh, Vogue writer, and consultant to top designers recently published her first book: "I Love Your Style," a conversational style guide that mixes personal history with lessons from style icons. Brooks' writing is down to earth, yet she can't help but come off as the cool, in-the-know sister. She cites examples from styles worn by her famous friends and other fashion icons she admires using photos of herself and others at A-list parties looking great and daring to be different.

She was born into it: Raised in NY and Palm Beach, her mother's bridesmaid dresses were designed by Lilly Pulitzer. After Brooks' book was released Sept. 9 she made appearances at top boutiques across the country. Channel threw her two parties, Tod's threw three and Diane Von Furstenburg, who wrote the forward, hosted the book launch party in New York. We caught up with Brooks, now Fashion Director at talent agency William Morris Endeavor, and asked her to Tell Us Everything. Here's what she said...

Tags: amanda brooks, barbour, diane von furstenberg, DianeVonFurstenberg, fashion spring fashion, FashionSpringFashion, i love your style, j.crew, philip lim, PhilipLim, tell us everything, vogue, william morris endeavor, WilliamMorrisEndeavor

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J. Crew x Belstaff Air Bomber Jacket

by Marsha Reid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

The ultra classic bomber jacket gets an update. The folks at J. Crew and Belstaff have joined forces and collaborated on a line of women's outerwear that is truly gorgeous. One of our favorites is the Air Bomber Jacket. The Belstaff leather bomber jacket is one of kind and has an ever lasting design that an adjustment was not needed, but somehow with just a few minor changes, the leather bomber jackets gets even better. By creating a shorter and shrunken fit hitting above the waist, your classic leather bomber is feminized and adds an instant hard-edge sexiness to your outfit. Made from a hand finished buttery burnt brown leather, it features a rib trim at the neck, sleeve and hem. Price: $1195.

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Tags: Belstaff, bomber jacket, BomberJacket, J. Crew, J.Crew, leather jacket, womens outerwear

J. Crew's Sexy Globe-Trotter Centenary Collection

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Men's Style

Your luggage says a lot about you. Make sure it says the right things.

We love this bright yellow collection, the Globe-Trotter Centenary Collection from J. Crew. Each piece is meticulously crafted with a Vulcan Fibre shell, cotton lining, and leather trim. Globe-Trotter is a British company who has been making top-of-the-line luggage since 1897, and the results, as you can see, are quite fabulous.

This shade of yellow, "mimosa," has already been dubbed the "it" color of 2009. Plus, it's sunny and cheerful. Just imagine the glee you'd feel as this bright yellow case is spat out on the carousel. Instant mood-booster -- and easy to identify.

"Guaranteed to withstand the rigors of travel-or the weight of a one-ton elephant, whichever is worse."

The Centenary Collection also comes in black and "centenary ivory" for you sticks-in-the-mud.

Take a look at the collection here:

Gallery: J. Crew Globe-Trotter Centenary Collection

[via BeSportier]

Tags: bags, globe-trotter, globetrotter, j crew, j. crew, J.Crew, JCrew, luggage, suitcase, suitcases, travel, yellow

J. Crew Jewelry Collection

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Outfitter J. Crew now offers a jewelry line, available at its new J. Crew Collection store on Madison Avenue in New York City or online. The pieces are simple and reasonably priced, but better suited for weekend wear than your best black-tie outfit. There is a Fashion category as well as a Fine category. Fashion includes necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, and pins in prices from $25 - $228. Fine includes mostly pearl items -- earrings, bracelets, and necklaces -- in prices from $65 - $495.

Gallery: J. Crew Jewelry Collection

Double-strand jeweled-flower pearl bracelet

Tags: J. Crew, J.Crew, jcrew, jewelry

Globe-Trotter Celebrates 110th Anniversary with Bulletproof Bag

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Globe-Trotter, the British luggage designer which since 1897 has furnished luxury carryalls for the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and Winston Churchill, will soon add another formidable piece to its collection: a bulletproof case designed by Ross Lovegrove. Weighing in at under three pounds, it's the lightest rigid suitcase of its kind. Even before this news, Globe-Trotter was getting around: the luggage maker recently collaborated with J.Crew to craft limited edition pieces for its new luggage collection, and it showed up last year in the Conran Shop with a special rolling fashion statement.

The Lovegrove piece will make its debut during New York Fashion Week in September, posing from the windows at Moss. Until then, you can still get the perennial classic, the Centenary trolley suitcase in orange (designed by hand from Vulcan Fibre and lined in silk) at Moss for $1,580. The Lovegrove designed Air Cabin, by comparison, will retail for $3,500.

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Tags: bulletproof, centenary trolley suitcase, CentenaryTrolleySuitcase, conran shop, ConranShop, globetrotter, j.crew, luggage, moss, queen elizabeth, QueenElizabeth, ross lovegrove, RossLovegrove, travel, winston churchill, WinstonChurchill

J. Crew Beaded Bathing Suit

by Dakota Smith (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

From the J.Crew Collection, the preppy retailer's more expensive line of clothing, here's a beautiful and apparently swimmable suit. Shells and beads decorate the top of the suit, while there's boning along the sides. And sure, brown isn't always the most flattering color for a pale beach newbie, but this suit probably looks really pretty once you have a tan. Price: $100.

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Tags: apparel, bathing suit, beads, J.Crew, J.Crew Collection, shells, shopping, summer

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