Tuesday, September 9, 2014

J.Crew's Fashion Week Sneak Peeks


J.Crew is already getting ready for Fashion Week. There are a few posts about this event over at J.Crew's own 770 blog (" The Dos and Donts of Women’s Casting" and "Men’s Casting Call"). All the photos in this post come from J.Crew's blog.







There is also an article over at USA Today (click here to read in its entirety) about it with matching video too:
Sneak peek: J.Crew's spring collection
By Carly Mallenbaum
September 8, 2014

Didn't nab an invite to the J. Crew show at New York Fashion Week? Not to worry. USA TODAY has a sneak peek at the J. Crew spring looks that will launch Tuesday in New York and hit stores across the country next year.

Men's
"We looked at a French Mediterranean fishing village" while designing the spring line, says Frank Muytjens, head of J.Crew men's design. He observed the way fishermen "mend their nets, how they sit on the dock in their gear, what they wear (and how) it gets old and tattered." For the collection, that translated into "dusty pastels" and "lots of navies, blues and washed-out denims" reminiscent of the ocean.

One particular look pairs a fresh Japanese indigo chambray pant with a classic shawl-collared cardigan. The tapered pants could also be worn with a full suit, or just with a T-shirt and white sneakers, Muytjens says. The cardigan, which is made of dry hand cotton, is meant for everything from a day at the office to a night on the beach.

The collection offers "the high and low, the mix of something something weathered with something clean and new-looking.

Women's
Tom Mora, head of J. Crew women's design, tried to bring the same "happy energy" that he felt while visiting Peru and Mexico, to his collection. "You eat late and you wear the same thing that you wore to the beach, to dinner," he says. The looks combine khakis, indigo, mossy greens, whites and pops of yellow; with linen, "couture mesh" and menswear-inspired blazers and pants. "It's casual and it also has a little bit of glamour."

The quirky sequined shorts seem to fit that the laidback vibe. "You can't feel uptight when you're wearing them," Mora says. The shorts, which have a drawstring, are made for slouching. Mora pairs them with a"new version of a jean jacket" that has a high-low hem. "It's the most beautiful vivid blue that reminds me of the ocean," he says of the jacket.

Mora says his clothes should feel "like taking a deep breath and letting it out."


When it comes to the Men's Collection... perfection. Even Frank's quote about the high low feels spot on. Is it weird that I am pulling ideas from their side to style myself? ;)

Now for the Women's side... I like the color scheme for the upcoming collection, with the khaki, greens and pops of yellow. Also, I love that table full of jewelry pieces. I just wanted to help myself to some!

I do have to address the sequined shorts... really? The sequined pattern is beautiful, lovely for a special event. However, the shorts aspect brings it down to casual. So I am not sure where it would be appropriate to wear. Too bad it was not a skirt.

J.Crew's Spring/Summer 2015 presentation is scheduled for September 9th during New York Fashion Week. You can also search #jcrewnyfw for of-the-moment updates on the show.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming collection? Are you excited about any piece in particular?

14 comments:

  1. I do like the sequin shorts, but agree that I would prefer a skirt version. So far, I like what I see in terms of color. Should be interesting to see the rest of it tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Honestly, it sounds like the men's line would appeal more to me more than the women's line. As a blonde, yellows and mossy greens probably won't work for me. Those shorts are amazing but as others said...real world, a skirt would be more practical. IMO, there have been too many shorts options in recent years and not enough skirt options.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "We looked at a French Mediterranean fishing village"

    I love this line. Too bad it isn't for the women's collection. :) I think they visited a French coastal town back in '06 or '07 and I remember loving a lot of what they created then...

    That said, I adore color, so yellows/greens sound great, as does an abundance of linen, even if I don't wear much of it in the summer (so much wrinkling!).

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think Jenna is tweeting today through out the show. It's embarrassing what a huge girl crush I have on her :0

    ReplyDelete
  5. I don't know why the collection isn't cohesive between the men's and women's lines. A French Mediterranean fishing village has nothing to do with Peru and Mexico. Yellow sequin shorts have nothing to do with sun-faded fishermen clothing.

    I don't long for old J. Crew, and I like modern clothes, but this is uninspiring. I'm sure I'll like something from the collection (like Tom Mora said in the video), but I'm not excited for it at all based on this preview, which should have been Mora's goal for the preview. My verdict: meh. The striped tank, we've seen it and most of us own something like it already. The sequin shorts, utterly ridiculous for my life. The high/low jean jacket, could be okay but I don't need yet another jean jacket, even if the shape is different.

    I'm also not a fan of yellow or green. Didn't this just happen on Project Runway where Nina Garcia or Heidi said green is hardly ever photographed for a cover? I have a feeling that if a survey were taken, that yellow and green would be women's least favorite colors to wear. I know lots of women like them, but I'll take a pass. I'm even tired of army/olive green, have enough of it (and mostly from J. Crew).

    ReplyDelete
  6. Has anyone seen J.Crew's fashion show online, this AM? It's a nice collection. It seems like they played with proportions again with the boxy cut jackets, shirts, culottes! The colors are nice...but yellow is something i can't pull off because of my skin tone. Everyone on Instagram was taking a photo of that dress with yellow sequin-very popular.

    It looks like they teamed up with Sophia Webster again, but I am not sure if the shoes will be sold spring of next year, or if it was made only for the show.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pictures of the looks are up on Racked. I was happy to see all the blue - I love J.Crew's blues and yellow is a difficult color for me to wear. I also loved the chino joggers and the longer length shorts in general. But I really didn't care for the oversized chest pockets on many of the pieces.
    Also, Leandra Medine of Man Repeller did a short interview with Jenna - here's a link to the video.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for posting that Paula! I always like their blues too. My biggest issue with the collection is the proportions. They look good on tall thin models, but I don't think I could pull it off. I also strongly question the saggy crotches! I think that's what happens with high-waisted, unstructured pants if they aren't worn carefully.

      Delete
    2. The cuffing trick is awesome. I found her outfit a bit boring though

      Delete
  8. This doesn't remind me of Peru at all (which is actually a relief!). I am not obsessing over Jcrew these days but I actually like a few looks involving denim (like the cropped jeans). Cannot believe they are still doing sequins for next summer...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Will someone please teach Tom about a woman's body? Explain to him the appeal of curves, a defined waist, the female form? Explain that "playing with proportion" may be an intellectual exercise for designers like him, bored with everyday life and longing for a career in couture, but in real life (where we all live and work and wear clothes), his boxy and voluminous designs are simply ill-fitting and unattractive. They have totally lost me. The significance of Marissa Webb's departure echoes more and more for me with each passing season -- at least she knew how to use clothes to flatter a woman's body.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I couldn't agree more! These spring styles don't even flatter model figures...so how are they going to look on real women? I think the men's collections have been consistently better than the women's for years now...cheers to Frank. I really wish they would make a change at the top on the women's side.

      Delete
  10. I wish Tom would have visited the French Mediterranean fishing village with Frank. I would much rather have a cozy shawl-collared cardigan than a pair of sequin shorts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do like all of the blues in the women's line this time around, especially the denim pieces. Guess I'll really 'borrow from the boys' and get that shawl - collared cardigan to wear with them.

      Delete

Dear J.Crew Aficionadas & Aficionados: Please feel free (and encouraged) to share your thoughts and opinions. :) However, please note that this is still a personal blog. So comments that are considered inappropriate (e.g. obscene, racist, homophobic, personal attacks, rude, and just plain mean) will be removed.

And now back to J.Crew! :)