On J.Crew's homepage, on the lower left hand side, there is a new feature called "Chamonix Behind the Scenes". Click on the logo for a flash presentation for an inside look at J.Crew's recent photo shoot (at the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc) for their holiday collection.
There are lots of cool things to peruse using the place marker signs as guides, including a mini-interview with Tracy Morgan (J.Crew's Director of Set Design), a "get to know" the cast of models for the shoot, and even a recipe for Fondue Pour Deux! :)
I really enjoyed the "cast interview" (with Tracy) and "meet the cast". I think it is great that J.Crew pulled some random {and gorgeous} people "off the street" to be a part of their catalog. (How lucky are they!?!) ;)What are your thoughts on this flash-behind-the-scenes look? What are your thoughts on the location itself- do you love it or would you have preferred another spot? Do you think the new catalog is one of their better ones? :)
You're up late... or early! Thanks for the Monday morning post! :-)
ReplyDeleteSomeone on another blog posted that JCrew's bottom line must not be hurting as much as they report otherwise why would they fly a bunch of people to another continent for a catalog photo shoot. Good point I thought! (at least they save some money on a few models by using some locals...)
ReplyDeleteThey probably shot the images for this catalog quite a while ago. Remember the personal shopper/20% off offer a few months ago? The e-mail used one of the pictures that is in the current catalog. Deja vu!
ReplyDeleteI really like the Chamonix images, although I think that the models look a little too scrawny. The models in the other sections look better, and not as scary as those "Shining Twins" girls from November 1's catalog!
I absolutely LOVE the color scheme, and I am so thrilled they brought back Vanessa and Pia, too!
ReplyDeleteI like it, but then I'm a sucker for winter landscapes. As a French woman currently living in SoCal, I love experiencing winter 'by proxy' and waxing nostalgic about home & snow while wearing a tank top in November :).
ReplyDeleteI also love that you (Alexis) actually spelled 'Fondue pour DEUX' correctly while the website spelt it 'Fondue pour DUEX' ;).
I love the new catalogue, not so much for the location pix, but, the 'pink' page is gorgeous ~ so visually appealing! One of the better look books, IMO. Totally agree models are way too skinny though ~ my fav model is the African American one (?) ~ she is absolutely exquisite. But, wow, if you go to the BM stores, the customers are way older than these models, like, guessing, in there 40s+.
ReplyDeleteWell, its hard to be 'original' ~ this is a somewhat limited topic, lol. You go Alexis!
ReplyDeletePoor model on pg 12 is soooo dangerously thin. Very sad, she needs help.
ReplyDeleteOf course the typical J Crew shopper would be "older"... 40ish. I doubt many younger shoppers have that kind of disposable income for J Crew prices. I know my daughter would love to buy much more there, but is somewhat limited by her income and an expensive world. She does shop sales and always asks for gift cards for Xmas and bday presents!
ReplyDeleteI like the photos from Chamonix. but I noticed as have others that Vanessa and some of the other models are looking almost emaciated. I think Jcrew should be paying attention to this as for sake of the health of these models and as an example for young women.
ReplyDeleteHERE, HERE Anony 9:33am!!
ReplyDeletekirbydog, Yes, I agree...I could not afford JCrew in my teens and twenty and early 30's. It wasn't until recently...late 30's that I could "justify" some of their prices...Yes, maybe I could have bought but I chose to spend my money on other things and now I have the means to do both:)
ReplyDeleteLucky the "younsters" that can afford it though:)
I wonder who is the model pictured that is "the daughter of one of our JCrew models". The girl looks about 12. Could her mom be the token "old lady"?
ReplyDeleteRegarding the "meet the cast" group photo, could these models be any pastier? Are minorities of any kind allowed in the alps? It doesn't appear so...
ReplyDeleteAnon at 10:29 --I completely agree with your comment and I know that J.Crew has been criticized in the past for promoting a primarily 'aryan esthetic' via its models.
ReplyDeleteI'm also intrigued by p.14 of this new catalog. It's Chamonix, it's winter, the model is wearing a sherpa-lined goosedown puffer vest, shearling gloves and a mohair muffler scarf AND the Alessia peep-toe 3-inch heels...
Oh my god, someone PLEASE feed Vanessa. She looks about 3 pounds from wasting away.
ReplyDeleteWho is "Vanessa" you are referring to?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I disagree. J.Crew is a desirable brand to many teens, and in New York, they all wear it! I have been wearing it since I was a teen too.
kirbydog: I agree with Anon @ November 10, 2008 1:03 PM. Everyone that I see shopping there is probably around their 20s . . . well they sure look 20.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that the majority of the JCrew shoppers in my area are in their 20's to early 30's. I have been wearing JCrew since high school/college. And now, being in my late 20's, they are still my go-to retailer. I get everything there from shoes, jeans, and sweaters to suits, and formal dresses. I especially like how they have stepped up their image in the last 5 or so years...I think that if they hadn't I would have stopped shopping there by the time I was about 23 or 24.
ReplyDeleteVanessa is the scarily skinny girl in the current catalog (see pages 4 and 12). Much healthier looking pictures of her can be found here: http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/f52/vanessa-lorenzo-2003-2.html
ReplyDeletealso for comparison, a lot of her old J. Crew pics can be found here: http://www.vanessalorenzo.com/galeria.php?id_seccion=6
ReplyDeleteWOW-she actually looks old in this latest catalog just due to her extreme thinness. Take a look at her eyes and how the skin looks stretched over her bones--she's skeletal in that close up on p. 4. That's sad--she's obviously not looking well at all. Those pics from (my never having seen it before--so that was SO exciting- last Fall's catalog!) she looked GORGEOUS and with the added bit of weight--SO MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL! Too bad, really.
ReplyDeleteI agree Covert 5, Vanessa was much healthier and more beautiful in the Fall 2007 catalog. She sort of reminds of the French actress, Julie Delpy. She started looking more thin the Spring 2008 catalog.
ReplyDeleteWell, I know I am not imagining the shoppers in the Bay Area Calif. stores have been mainly in their 40s+++, bec. I remember thinking, wow, everyone in here looks older than me, lol. Not quite Talbots, but I just thought that the JCrew models look so much younger than their customer. I have been to the BM several times (ie, once a weekish), and always the same. Other catalogs better, like their was a skinny Asian model in one of them, and the beautiuous African one too.
ReplyDeletewow i am only 25 and have been shopping at j crew since i was in 6th grade (11 years old)! i can't believe how long it's been! i still have the first pair of loafers i bought from them (my shoe size has not changed since i was 10 haha) and can totally remember when my mall got their first j crew...what a big deal i was that i didn't have to order from the catalog! as many problems that we all have with j crew...i love their style and hope to shop there until i am much older! :)
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