J.Crew Parties with Muses {from March Catalog}

We all remember the gorgeous March 2010 J.Crew catalog with the nine muses that J.Crew featured. It was discussed a few times on this blog too (refer to the "J.Crew's March Catalog: Behind the Muse {w/Jenna}" post as an example).

A big "thanks!" to Drewablank, who shared a post from Guest of a Guest (click here) which discussed a gathering at the NYC Prince Street store (in February). The event honored the women featured in the catalog as muses.

The following is shared as well: "As guests perused through the J.Crew store on Prince Street, the cash register counters were turned into a bar area where wine and cocktails were served. The latest apparel were displayed, therefore attendees got a first look."

What is interesting about the post is all the great shots of the party. It is actually a lot of fun to check out everyone's outfit. :)

What are your thoughts on the party? Do you like Jenna's outfit? Do you like the outfits/ styling of some of the other attendees? :)

Mini-Interview with J.Crew's Jenna Lyons {part III}

There is a mini-interview with J.Crew's Creative Director Jenna Lyons over at FabSugar (click here) about how J.Crew does jewelry. {go big!} ;) To read the other two interviews, refer to {part II} and {part I}.

Fab Exclusive! Jenna J.Crew Reveals the Jewelry Process
By FabSugar
March 2, 2010

When I talked to J.Crew's Creative Director Jenna Lyons during New York Fashion Week, I had to ask her about those wonderful J.Crew jewels. Coincidentally, you can learn all about the brand's jewelry designer, Molly Carey, in the latest catalog. Molly sounds pretty rad, and here's what Jenna revealed about the upcoming Turkey-inspired Fall jewelry collection.

How do you start the jewelry process?
It's one of those things where it's anywhere and everywhere. This past season the girl who oversees jewelry went to Turkey and came back with some crazy cool pieces.

Is this for the Spring or Fall collection?
I'm sorry I'm so off, I never know…

Well, you guys have like 10 seasons.
(Laughs). Yeah, we’re not on the same schedule as everybody else . . . that would have been Fall. Turkey-inspired. And that had nothing to do with the rest of the line, but she went on a trip and came back with these crazy things, and I was like, that's kind of amazing. So we decided to use them and they put it together. What's nice is, I think it's the way people dress. I don't wear head-to-toe J.Crew. I think when things look too matched, it just looks matched and less interesting. We do a lot of vintage shopping, tons of vintage-inspired stuff. We do a lot of things where we just take stuff that we have and topple them together and play with them and then send them out and they come back. It’s actually a lot of physical tweaking, or that’s not so cute, or let’s add this here, it’s a very tactile process.

I look forward to seeing the upcoming Jewelry collection from J.Crew. Although I am not a huge fan of their {considerably} larger pieces, I love love love their layering necklaces and cocktail rings. :)

What are your thoughts on the article? Any tidbit you found interesting in the mini-interview with Ms. Lyons?

J.Crew's March Catalog: Behind the Muse {w/Jenna}

There is a great article over at the StyleList (click here) that has J.Crew's Creative Director, Jenna Lyons, discussing the lovely ladies behind this month's catalog.

J.Crew Spring Catalog - First Look With Jenna Lyons
By Jennifer Paull
March 1, 2010

Remember those dashing real guys from J.Crew's November catalog? They've met their match in a group of real-life ladies featured in the upcoming March mailing (out this week).

Creative director Jenna Lyons gives StyleList a sneak peek at the company's new "muses."

In good Grecian style, J.Crew highlights nine muses, each with an arty bent. The creative team selected these women for their inventive and inspiring tastes. None are professional models, but each has a keen aesthetic sense which shaped their catalog ensembles.

Lyons plucked a few of the muses from her own circle of friends, including author and fashion consultant Amanda Brooks and interior designer Celerie Kemble.

Stylist Dianna Lunt was recruited after the J.Crew team saw her picture on the Sartorialist street style blog. "I have pictures of her on my wall," confesses Lyons. "We cold-called her because we've been personally stalking her style."

A couple of muses cropped up in J.Crew's own backyard. Molly Carey is a designer for the line who creates bib necklaces on the side. Mei Tao, a photographer who works with the company, "wears J.Crew like no one else," promises Lyons.

And who's that girl that you can practically hear laughing right in the center of the catalog cover? Naomi Beckwith, a curator at The Studio Museum in Harlem, whom Lyons met at a museum event.

Each of these women reveal more about their personal style and their creative endeavors on the J.Crew site. These aspects influenced their catalog looks. "We created outfits for them that they'd be comfortable in, that would make them feel like themselves," explains Lyons.

For instance, the polished Kemble appears in a pencil skirt and chiffon-and-petal embellished cardigan. Tougher-edged Lunt, on the other hand, rocks a bomber jacket.

Further into the catalog, the professional models step in, posing in the new season's line. While glimpses of a boat, palm fronds and azure water evoke warm weather, the shots focus on a feeling rather than a location.

"We used the outside more like a studio," said Lyons. "We wanted you to feel that intense sun when summer comes around."

How about one of the biggest seasonal trends: shorts? The catalog is full of them, paired with everything from a boyfriend sweatshirt to sequins.

"Shorts right now are the skinny jeans of summer," counsels Lyons. "If you have the legs for it, by all means, go for it! No holds barred. I think a big oversized men's shirt and little shorts is so sexy."

The menswear pages, meanwhile, also have special guests: The men of "Monocle," a London-based global-culture magazine. J.Crew's CEO Millard "Mickey" Drexler has known "Monocle"'s editor-in-chief Tyler Brûlé for years and gradually the idea of a catalog feature developed.

The "Monocle" staff agreed to let J. Crew do the styling; the photos were snapped in the editorial offices and in front of the brand's shop. "Tyler has an office full of smart, interesting, adorable boys!" enthused Lyons. "What more could you want?"

I loved learning more about J.Crew's "muses". Jenna Lyons has the most-awesome circle of friends too! All of the {inspirational} women selected are absolutely beautiful. I would love to see J.Crew continue this marketing concept in more of their catalogs.

Incidentally, who else laughed out loud when they read the next big thing is ...shorts! I guess I was expecting something more specific (like cuffed satin shorts in navy or something). ;)

What are your thoughts on the article? Are there any tidbits you found particularly interesting? Would you like to see this concept continued in future catalogs?

J.Crew's Catalog for March 2010 {thanks FFM!}

First, we saw some pages ("thanks!" to Audreybella in the "Sneak Peek to the Latest J.Crew Catalog {thanks Audreybella!}" post). Now we can view the entire catalog. {yey!} A super big "thanks!" to FFM (in this post), who let us know she scanned the entire catalog and posted it all for us to drool over at her {great} Fabulous Florida Mommy blog (refer to her "J.Crew March 2010 Catalog Preview" post).



Several brick & mortar (B&M) stores have been putting new arrivals on their floors yesterday. A few JCAs on this blog mentioned the new March roll-out will be happening online soon (in particular, this Thursday).

What I do know is that I look forward to browsing this new catalog! :) Especially because it's so cold outside (& snowing!) I need to see better weather (which the catalog refreshingly provides with its Spring-time palette of colors & styles).

I am loving the Roses Vines Perfect Shirt (Item 23484; $78.00) on page 53. What can I say? I am a sucker for small flower prints on a button-down! :) I am also crushin' on the Reese Gladiator sandals (with & without the studs) on page 5. I love the zipper on the heel— super convenient for putting on!

What I am *not* loving still? That Silk-Linen Jumpsuit (Item 22736; $148.00) that J.Crew lovingly refers to as its "one-piece wonder" and the "jumpsuit in luxurious silk-linen (yes, you really can wear it)". ;)

Lastly, I think J.Crew's Designer Molly Carey is absolutely stunning, but she makes some over-the-top necklaces! Did you catch the one-of-a-kind bib necklace she created (on page 2 & 11)? (She is also the designer behind those one-of-a-kind necklaces from last year. Refer to the August 31st "J.Crew Accessory: One of a Kind Necklace {sold}" post.)

What are your thoughts on the latest catalog (from the selected images shown)? Are you a fan (or not a fan) of the latest styles being offered? Do you like J.Crew's use of inspirational women as models?