Referencing {FAQ}

Thursday, May 27, 2010

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? :)

7 comments:

  1. Truthfully, I have been so disappointed in J. Crew's quality as of late, I'm not sure how I would feel about purchasing a wedding dress.

    Too many instances with holes in sweaters and bursting seams (on items that are quite loose) to make me consider risking my day to J. Crew. Still love em still buy em but it often requires a trip to the tailor these days.

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  2. The store looks wonderful. For years, I have had a girl crush on the design work of Eileen Gray, especially E1027. I have a couple of the chrome/glass tables that she designed for her sister and even visited her exhibit in the Dublin's craft museum- so as you can imagine, I just love the homage.

    In many ways it does remind me of the collection stores in Miami Beach and New York City; gorgeous details and inspiring displays. Kudos to the J. Crew architects and design team!

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  3. I just wish the store were in L.A., I would love to be able to try on all the great occasion dresses since I can never seem to get the right fit for my body type and it's such a pain to keep ordering online and returning. Then I'd be ready to pounce on some of the great promos and sales online! I think the dresses are at a good price point considering the alternatives for weddings and occasions.

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  4. I haven't been a fan of any of the wedding dresses I've seen in the catalogs. Most of them seem so baggy and unstructured, only the Size 0s among us could wear them and look good. (I, for one, would look pregnant in JCrew's typical loose fit styles, not something I want guests speculating about on my big day!) Their bridsmaids' dresses are better but quite spendy for what you get... Don't think I'd bother looking at JCrew if I was getting married, I could get better quality and more for my money elsewhere, instead of paying $$$ just for the JCrew "experience."

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  5. I wish this had existed when I got married. Arrggh. 8 years too late! :-) It's so pretty.

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  6. I agree with Tanya. There's always questionable quality with just regular jcrew clothing, so taking a chance on your big day with the same company is probably just as dicey. I went by the store and was loving the decor, but for the actual dresses and dressing all my bridesmaids, I think I'm going to keep looking.

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  7. Curious whether coupon codes are applicable for wedding dress purchases. Can't say I remember reading any fine print that preclude using them on wedding dresses, but its just become a concern for me. :) Appreciate any insight!

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