A Trip to J.Crew's Bridal Boutique

A big "thanks!" to Gem Twin who shared the following article about J.Crew's new Bridal Store in NYC over at Fashionista (click here to read the article in its entirety).

My Excellent J.Crew Wedding Store Adventure
By Lauren Sherman
June 25, 2010

...I thought it would still be smart to check out J.Crew’s new wedding boutique on Madison Ave. ...

...First, I was greeted by Kate M., my personal sales associate for the appointment. (She was accompanied by the lovely Candy.) These girls were amazing. They were so excited about everything, from the La Perla robes in the changing rooms to the array of sashes to the shoes. Their enthusiasm was infectious. But more on that later.

Tom Mora, who heads up the wedding design division at J.Crew, also popped by to walk me through the current collection. Tom’s been at J.Crew since 2001 and working on wedding since 2004, so he’s a wealth of knowledge. We talked a lot about which dresses are bestsellers (in reality, women have such different tastes that there isn’t one runaway hit); we also discussed garment construction, and fabric sourcing, which blew me away.

What surprised me, having only seen the dresses online, is just how special each one is. From the silk crepe Mimi t-shirt gown in a Champagne color to the Lucinda gown, a poly/cotton/silk ballgown with a hammered that almost resembles a seersucker, there’s a dress for every bride. (And with prices starting at something like $300 and capping off at under $4,000, these are good quality garments that most people can actually afford.)

Tom explained that, much like the J.Crew cashmere sourced from the same mills used by Loro Piana, the fabrics used on the wedding gowns are milled in Italy and France. And you can tell. I was besotted with the Sascha, a lightweight ivory silk taffeta number with a corseted bodice and structured sweetheart neckline, for this reason. The shape made me happy, but the fabric was just so luxurious, it made it even better.

...But onto accessories. The J.Crew bridal boutique has just about the most beautifully curated collection of accessories, lingerie and jewelry I’ve ever seen. The vintage pieces, mixed in with new edition Miriam Haskell, mixed in with the most perfect pair of satin platform pumps in the world–the Esme–made me incredibly happy. We also tried on several headpieces by local milliner Leah C., of which I also fell in love. Leah does everything from blushers to floral pins to headbands, so there’s something for every taste.

What are your thoughts on the article's take of the Wedding Boutique on Madison Avenue? Are you excited about its arrival? Do you think you will shop there? :)

J.Crew Wants You to Smell Nice {for a price} Too!

We got to see some images inside the new bridal boutique in the "Looks Inside J.Crew's Bridal Boutique {yey!}" post. The image above is one of many from Aisle Dash (click here to view all the amazing photos).

There is an article over at NBC's New York The Thread (click here to read in its entirety) about what additional item to expect at the store.

Get a Whiff Of This: J.Crew and Urban Outfitters Expand Into Beauty
By Kelly O'Reilly
June 3, 2010

Stores continue their merchandising metamorphoses, with Urban Outfitters now stocking plenty of makeup to the new J.Crew Bridal Boutique offering the hard-to-get ('til now) Histoires de Parfums line.

...Then, cleaning up and moving uptown, the new J.Crew Bridal Boutique is doing something a little different, but equally beautious. As part of its holistic pre-wedding experience, the retailer offers six editions of the hard-to-find and quite posh Histoires de Parfums. The scents, which go for $185 per 120-millileter pop, blend ingredients from bergamot and cumin to patchouli and cedar under the names of popular icons and their respective eras of greatness. T Magazine tells us that J. Crew's six selections include for women, 1873 Colette, 1826 Eugenie de Montijo, 1876 Mata-Hari, and 1969 named for the summer of love, and for men, 1725 Casanova and 1828 Jules Verne.

I have never heard of Histoires de Parfums (click here). Those prices are certainly high, which only make me curious as to what the scents smell like. I wonder if the store will have testers available?

When it comes to special occasions, I turn to the classic Channel No. 5. Although, my go-to scent for everyday includes Channel's Chance, Nina by Nina Ricci, and I embarrassed to admit Britney Spears' Curious. ;)

On a related note, "thanks!" to Tweedy (in this post) who shared her experience visiting the store:

Hi ladies! I had the pleasure of stumbling upon the new J Crew wedding store today (on Madison Avenue). It's amazing, and you don't need to be on your way to a party or wedding to ship there. They have pretty Essie nail polishes, belts (some embellished with rhinestones, and ones with a bow on front), and clutch bags galore. Not to mention great costume jewelry (though some of the vintage options were quite pricey!). I think some of the items in the store can only be found that particular location. Great sales associates too - everyone was very friendly. Highly recommend!

What are your thoughts on the Histoires de Parfums being offered by J.Crew? Are you a fan of their perfume collection? Should J.Crew be pursuing this partnership? :)

J.Crew Laughs All the Way to the Bank!

A big "thanks!" to Raina (check out her lovely "If The Lamp Shade Fits" blog) who shared the following article over at the Wall Street Journal (click here).

J.Crew Profit More Than Doubles
By Elizabeth Holmes
May 27, 2010

J.Crew Group Inc. doubled its profits in the first quarter on stronger full-price selling and expanded into online denim and standalone bridal shops.

The New York-based casual apparel retailer, which operates 246 full-price stores, is a darling of Wall Street because of its continually robust sales as well as its expansion potential.

On Thursday, J.Crew unveiled an online-sales channel for its fledgling denim division, Madewell, and also opened its first bridal boutique, J.Crew Bridal, on Manhattan's tony Madison Avenue. Appointments there are booked through July, and Chief Executive Millard "Mickey" Drexler said standalone bridal stores could easily be replicated elsewhere.

"I don't see why we can't do this in every major city in America," Mr. Drexler said on a call with investors.

J.Crew weathered the recession better than many of its peers, because its highly sought-after fashion has given it a cult-like status in some fashion circles. But the popularity in certain categories, such as embellished cardigans and T-shirts, has led to several copycats from lower-priced retailers.

For the three months ended May 1, J.Crew's profit more than doubled to $44.7 million, or 68 cents a share, from $20.4 million, or 32 cents a share, a year earlier. Net sales rose 20% to $413.9 million. Sales at stores open at least a year, a closely watched measure of a retailer's health, increased 15% over the prior-year period.

Mr. Drexler said the company is focused on winning market share. "It's a take-from-your-competitors business," he said.

Gross margin increased to 49%, up more than six percentage points from a year earlier. Merchandise margins were "significantly better than anticipated" the company said. The average price per item also saw a "significant" increase versus expectations.

The company raised its full-year guidance to $2.35 to $2.45 per share, up from the previously $2.20 to $2.30.

There is also an article over at Reuters (click here to read it in its entirety) that shares some interesting points:

The company, which caters to urban professionals willing to pay extra to make subtle fashion statements, boosted its full-year earnings forecast to $2.35 to $2.45 per share from $2.20 to $2.30 per share previously.

New York-based J Crew said fewer markdowns and promotions helped first-quarter net income rise to $44.7 million, or 68 cents per share, from $20.4 million, or 32 cents, in the year-ago quarter.

Dayum! J.Crew is performing uber-well. Which is great news for stock-holders. I am delightfully surprised how well they are doing too, considering how many other retailers (like Ann Taylor Loft) are offering similar styles (with greater sales & promotions than J.Crew too!)

As a consumer I am a bit sad to see less & less markdowns and promotions. ;) At the end of the day, J.Crew has its fans (or fanatics in my case) who won't shop anywhere else! Incidentally, I like to think the JCA Blogaversary/ BIRTHDAY code helped boost J.Crew's profits a tiny bit. :)

How incredible is it, that appointments for J.Crew's new Bridal Boutique is already booked up through July!?!

Would you consider purchasing J.Crew stock? Do you think J.Crew will continue to perform well in its next quarter? :)

Looks Inside J.Crew's Bridal Boutique {yey!}

I was so curious what the interior of the new Bridal Boutique looks like. Fortunately for us, we have several {beautiful} pictures that provide us a sneak peek of what's inside!

"Thanks!" to Anne who let us know about her article over at Aisle Dash (click here to view all the amazing photos). There is a great slide show with lots of interior shots. She also shares the following:

J.Crew Opens Bridal and Special Occasions Boutique
By Anne Chertoff
May 27, 2010

After the successful launch of their wedding and bridesmaid dress collection, J. Crew opened their first bridal salon in New York City. The French-inspired boutique offers every member of the wedding stylish and affordable fashions and accessories.

In addition to wedding dresses ($250-2500) and bridal accessories (shoes, bags, jewelry, headpieces and veils), bridesmaids, mothers and guests are sure to find fashionable designs that they are sure to wear again and again.

The 769 collection of party attire and accessories is exclusive to this Madison Avenue occasion (769 Madison Avenue at 66th Street), while the wedding and bridesmaid dresses can also be purchased at jcrew.com's wedding site.

Also, "thanks!" to Lauren from NBC"s New York The Thread, who let us know about their photo slide show (click here to view all the images). Also, the following is shared:

• The boutique itself is situated just blocks from heavy-hitter rivals like Vera Wang, and the J.Crew store stacks up: The windows are luxuriously dressed, and there's a security guard beyond the heavy door.
• The bridal windows feature J.Crew's classic madcap styling.
• Inside, a reception area awaits for those looking to make appointments. The top floor is devoted to "occasion" ready-to-wear with higher price points than what J.Crew usually offers.
• We found tons of spectacular pieces exclusive to J.Crew's new wedding store, like the sequin pants that Jenna wore on her Oprah debut. (Only four in production, so these will llkely sell out today!)
• Similar exclusives include a fabulous ostrich feather cocktail skirt (cleverly paired with a plaid button-down) that seems inspired by the spring collections of high-end designers like Jason Wu.
• The tabletop reveals a lot of the label's collaborations -- working with Essie to sell the perfect pale pink nail polish and Wolford on the just-right tights.
• Downstairs offers a by appointment-only shopping experience where the entire catalogue of J.Crew's offerings are on display.
• In classic J.Crew fashion, one unconventional bridal style features a long white silk skirt and a furry pink vest.
• The bridal dresses are a mix of current pieces and favorites that have been brought back. A key point is that brides won't actually purchase the dress here -- they'll try on and then make purchases online (either through the store or from the comfort of their own couches).

Super exciting stuff! I loved both slide-shows of the new Bridal Boutique. Everything is so beautifully laid out. Doesn't it make you want to buy everything in sight! Well, maybe not the fur vest! ;)

How interesting is it that there is only 4 of those Sequin Pants (that Jenna Lyons wore on Oprah)?!? I wonder who the other 3 buyers are going to be? (Hint: it's not me!)

The only pause I had was reading that customers cannot actually buy the dresses at the Bridal Boutique. You can look & even try on. But if you want to actually buy it, you have to do it online. Yeah, that seems pretty weird at first. (I thought that would be one of the perks of going to the Bridal Boutique in the first place!) But then I remember that most bridal stores only let you try on dresses, since they make you order their dresses too. ;)

What are your thoughts on J.Crew's Bridal Boutique now that you have seen what it looks like & what it has to offer? Do you like those famous Sequin Pants that Jenna loves so much? :)

J.Crew's Bridal Boutique is Now Open for Business!

We have been waiting for this for some time now (refer to May 14th "J.Crew Email: Our very own wedding announcement" post and April 8th "J.Crew's First Wedding Boutique is Coming Soon!" post). Now the time has arrived... It's officially open: J.Crew's first stand alone Bridal Boutique in NYC!

J.Crew also shared the video above with the following note:

Our big day is here! Our very first bridal boutique is now open at 769 Madison Avenue at 66th Street, New York City. Watch our behind-the-scenes video of a wedding paradise in the making.

I love these behind-the-scenes looks. Everything looks so pretty! There is also an article over at the Huffington Post (click here) that sheds some light on what to expect:

J.Crew Opens First Bridal Store
By Huffington Post
May 27, 2010

J.Crew has opened the doors to its first bridal store, WWD reports. Located at 769 Madison Avenue in Manhattan, the French-style salon combines wedding garb with the J.Crew sensibility. Dresses run from $229 up to $3,500, but that's not all that shoppers will find on the racks.

Bearing in mind the before and after parties, rehearsal dinners and the honeymoon night, there are separate areas on the first floor for cashmere sweaters, handbags, shoes, jewelry, lingerie and a new 769 Collection of cocktail and evening dresses, tuxedo jackets and harem pants. Much of the assortment, J.Crew executives boast, incorporates fabrics from some of the finest Italian mills, such as Clerici Tessuto and Canepa, yet without the expected sticker shock. There's also makeup, perfume and headpieces.

J.Crew Group president Tracy Gardner summed things up, saying, "We're not fancy here. We're still J. Crew, but it's an elevated experience."

The location for the new store is:

769 Madison Avenue
(at 66th Street)
New York, NY 10065

What are your thoughts on the Wedding Boutique on Madison Avenue? Are you excited about its arrival? Do you think you will shop there? :)

J.Crew Sweepstakes: Say I do to J.Crew...

"Thanks!" to Cortney who let us know that J.Crew is running a new sweepstakes in partnership with Martha Stewart.

The following are some details to this amazing sweepstakes:

Say "I Do" to J.Crew...
Martha Stewart Weddings & J.Crew... a match made in style heaven.

We've teamed up with perennially chic J.Crew to offer every bride-to-be's fantasy wedding wardrobe trip. Enter below for a chance to win a weekend trip for two to NYC that includes:

-An exclusive wedding planning consultation with our Editorial Director Darcy Miller
-A private shopping trip to the new Madison Avenue J.Crew Bridal Boutique with one of their wedding specialists
-$2,500 to spend on your dream dress at J.Crew

All you have to do to enter is click on the link provided HERE. Good luck! :)

The sweepstakes ends June 30, 2010. Some other fine print includes: "Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, who are 18 years of age or older." For more on the official rules, click here.