Wednesday, September 15, 2010

You Know That Guy From the September Catalog...

"Thanks!" to Cathy, who let us know about a pretty good article about that guy (you know the one!) from the latest J.Crew catalog over at the Slate (click here to read in its entirety):
Who Is the Bearded Hippie in the September J.Crew Catalog?
By Julia Felsenthal
September 01, 2010

Still from J.Crew’s September 2010 catalog.Turn the corner in any major American city of late, and you're bound to bump into a man sporting a curiously un-summery combo of greasy, shoulder-length hair and a full, bushy beard. No, this hirsute fellow is not destitute, and he is not going to rob you or abduct your child; if you look closely, he's actually meticulously dressed and is probably on his way to his job as a professional mixologist, molecular gastronomist, or furniture designer. ... But recently I was shocked to find him in the one place I thought he'd never show up: the J.Crew catalog.

It's no secret that J.Crew has been working to change its image. J.Crew President and Creative Director Jenna Lyons has breathed new life and daring into a company that made its name marketing boring basics as preppy classics. That marketing was largely done through the J.Crew catalog, which, season after season, created a sunny and comforting world of fresh-faced American beauties frolicking in iconic New England settings, often aboard boats.

The current catalog is set in an empty, industrial loft, but most of the models are generally still of the typical J.Crew mold: relatively clean-cut and boyishly good-looking. They wear warm, quirky expressions, smiling shyly into the camera or looking adorably befuddled. ... The message is new, but not that new. The models seem to be saying: I know the clothes are suddenly more expensive and I'm a little scruffier than I used to be, but this is still J.Crew: Check out my bluchers! Indeed, these might be the very same models, from catalogs of yore, who once proudly stood at the helms of sailboats wearing ribbon belts, salmon colored polos, and cargo shorts.

But in their midst is an interloper, a long-haired, long-bearded, sallow-skinned hipster who looks like he'd kill himself before putting on a pair of lobster- festooned khakis. ...Is his hair thinning, or is that just the lank way it falls against his scalp? Is it the light, or does he seem a bit sickly around the eyes? Is he not getting paid enough to look as if he wants to be there? J.Crew is certainly getting cooler, but what is this unkempt downer doing in its still peppy, optimistic, and well-groomed world?

A bit of digging reveals the identity of this sullen tramp: He's Will Lewis, who recently walked the runway in Paris for John Paul Gaultier ... Lewis reinforces the notion that long hair and a big beard do not necessarily a dirty slacker make. "I'm big on hygiene," he says. "I do modeling most of the time but ... I also do computer and internet technology consulting and set up." A computer nerd who's also a model? It sounds a bit like a hippie who likes to wear J.Crew.
Pretty interesting read! :)

What are your takes on the article? Do you think J.Crew's purposeful direction (to change its image) is on track? Do you like the model, Will Lewis, for J.Crew's menswear collection?

51 comments:

  1. Look, it's Jesus! Now I know what the "J" in "J. Crew" stands for. ;)

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  2. I read about this guy in Sunday school one time...

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  3. Well, I've always been a fan of long hair on men as well as women, and I don't think he's unkempt. I think he's quite good looking, and I even like the beard because he's young and cute enough to get away with it, and I was surprised and pleased to see him in the catalog.

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  4. I could see this guy working at my company lately, the way the hippie look has been making a comeback. No wait, maybe it was that guy at the gas station who rummaged through the cans looking for empties as I filled up. Either way I'm not a fan.

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  5. Well, I miss the old J Crew, and didn't think it was boring.

    I guess they don't want my money.

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  7. Yeah, I guess he's okay if I squint a lot. But that just makes my eyes hurt. I'm not a fan of the beard or the Jesus look.

    Hey, I dug 90s grunge, but this ain't it. More like homeless hippie came home to rich family for the holidays or he just mugged a dude to get his threads. Isn't a Jcrew loving Hippie an oxymoron?

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  8. I read this as well--wish they had this much diversity on the women's side of the catalog...

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  9. I immediately filed this into being a big bag o' hipster-irony in my head. Hi, I have long hair and a beard, am handsome enough to be a model but want to hide my face with a beard, I look slightly disheveled, and...*drumroll please* I'm wearing J Crew! Gasssp.

    I'm not annoyed by the dude (he looks enough like the lead singer of Iron & Wine to make my heart tingle bit, and a computer geek to boot? nice!), or even by hipsters in general (I get it, you're making a statement!) but for whatever reason, I am annoyed that J Crew is trying to play it in the catalog.

    I have a stack of UO catalogs for this, thanks. *salutes*

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  10. And as with gem twin, I think that's why it's even the more bothersome- why not do something like this on the women's side, too? Why just men? I do like looking at different people, it makes the world a more interesting place, but it seems all the less sincere when you have just one bearded dude, floating through the pages between the still very pretty, cookie-cutter, lipstick-clad female models.

    And I also just did that thing where you fall asleep at 8pm, accidentally wake up at 12am, and know that there's no way in hell you're going back to bed to get enough sleep before the morning 'cuz suddenly you're not tired, so I apologize if I come off as sounding bitchy and/or overly-rankled. 'Cuz I am. >:|

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  11. I guess it was just a matter of time before the rolled outta bed look made its way to the men's dept. Stay tuned...borrowing from the girls is next.

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  12. I think he looks fine and really don't mind that he's in the catalog.

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  13. He's unexpected, doesn't offend but look's out of place. Not a fan!

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  14. Gigi - LOL! I rarely even look at the men's portion of the catalog. But you're right ... if the women don't have to brush their hair before stepping in front of the camera, why should the men? ;)

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  15. checked phone on way back from random party, thought TFLN was adding illustrations. Guess things can always be worse.

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  17. Funny how the writer sees a scary, destitute, sullen tramp. The guy does not look scary at all; in fact, all I see is Jesus! Not once does the article mention that similarity. Definitely does not offend me, but it does make me laugh!

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  18. I'm not bothered by this guy but I also I don't think he fits in.

    Let's be realistic, the long-haired hippy hipster guy really isn't JC's market and putting this guy in the catalog isn't going to get a hoard of hippies ambling to the store to buy crisp close-cut Italian suits.

    Does this guy bug me enough to not shop at JC? Of course not. Did it reinforce to my BF - who's a prep but not a big fan of JC bc he kind of thinks they've recently have been thinking they're cooler than they are - that he doesn't want to shop them? Um, yeah ...

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  19. Not a fan, but he does look clean and well groomed. He is a nice looking man, but I do think he would look better clean cut.

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  20. Philamaz! ROFL!!!!

    I was just looking at a catalog last night and saw this guy and I giggled like crazy at the pics of him in a suit. Now I'm cracking up to start my day off with him too.

    I personally am not a fan of long hair on men (with the exception of Jason Lewis).

    But go on with your bad self, Jesus man.

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  21. Feed the hungry,
    Clothe the naked?
    Quarterly statements make or break it:
    Pilly cashmere, splitting seams,
    Ruffled cleavage, itchy Dreams
    Lead us on to wardrobe hell.
    Do we care? There's clothes to sell!

    So if you ask WWJD,
    Mickey says He'd wear JC.

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  22. Perhaps JC is trying to get a little buzz going with their September catalog by having this model in it. If that's the case I'd say they are successful.

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  23. Underneath all the hair there may will be a good looking guy, but none of us see it. A few of the photos were comical, especially the one where he's wearing a sweater that looks too small giving him that homeless vibe.

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  24. It's equal opportunity modeling - the women in JC catalog have been piling on layers "homeless bag lady" style for a while.

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  25. jcrew guy thanks for giving us the guy's perspective. When I flip through the guy's side of the catalog I always think guys have it easy, they can just do the leather, suede, denim combo and look great with no effort. Then this guy pops up and what's odd is, he doesn't look more masculine to me, he looks effeminate which is odd when mixed with the whole leather, wool and pipe tobacco thing they are going for.

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  26. Not a fan. At all.

    You guys crack me up!

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  27. wellfedfred, you are hilarious!

    Elizabeth, I also found him effeminate and delicate-looking. And I agree, I think it was definitely to get a reaction and some buzz. Seems to have worked.

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  28. One more example proving the heads of state at the Crew are way too interested in PR(ie press coverage) and not concerned with more important things like the quality of the clothes they sell. I'm sure someone in catalog design thought it would be somewhat of a bold statement to use this guy as a model, but its rather stupid. I'm sure that anyone after looking at the page would say that yes, this guy was wearing a gray suit, but the details of the ensemble are not obscure, brcause the only thing you can really recall is the overabundance of hair on the model. Maybe they can't pile twelve necklaces, two shirts, a scarf, fishnets, ankle socks and loads of ruffles on the guys and they've just opted for hirsuteness instead. I dislike the direction this company is taking on so many levels. On a brighter note, I received an order from Anthropologie last week and was thrilled with everything, so much so that I placed another order yesterday.

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  29. I love the poetry. Thanks WellFedFred;)

    Now that I know a bit more about the long haired model it doesn't bother me quite so much. Interesting post. Thanks.

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  30. I apologize for my not being a more responsible soul and not proofreading my post. Please take out the "not" before "obscure".

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  31. wff: you're brilliant!

    I'm not a fan of men with long beards and I don't like the idea JC is trying to sell us the illusion/image rather than quality clothing. Check out all the descriptions of each items. It doesn't list much about the fabric content or the fit but rather how much they are obsessed with it and "borrowed from the boys."

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  32. I think this guy's look is borrowed from the bums! lol

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  33. I may have made fun on my own blog, but seriously, good on Mr. Lewis for landing this J.Crew job. :) And I applaud his concern for hygiene. ;)

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  34. I liked the variation; it caught my attention, which has to be one of their goals. IMO he carries it off only because it is plain that he is totally hawt under all that fur. Kind of like how female JC models rock the messy bun look while the same hairdo makes me look like a drunken librarian

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  35. Elaine, BAHAHAHAHA! I almost choked on my lunch. Still giggling.

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  36. I think he is incredibly adorable. :)

    But I have always had a thing for J. Crew models. It is so bad that Mr. Dina will often point out men on the street who look like J. Crew models and say "ooh, lookie, there's a J. Crew model for you."

    I think Mr. Dina might have bypassed this fella, though, but not me. LOL.

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  37. When I saw the September catalog I thought the JCrew designers had been inspired by Ted Kaczynski's court room style!

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  38. Love the hair AND beard. Why not? Different is far more intriguing!

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  39. He looks like boys I went to college with... and dated. Love it!

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  40. I'm not a personal fan of this look, but it doesn't offend me. I do think they needed more than one male model with this look so he doesn't stand out quite so much. Would they only pile the clothing and jewelry on one female model - no, they all get to wear pounds of items. :) Does only one women have her hair teased out to there - no, it's shared by all. Just think the look would blend in a little more with a couple of hairy models. :)

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  41. OT, has anyone washed the bettina cami? Does it shrink or otherwise disintegrate? I'm trying to figure if I need to allow for shrinkage. TIA

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  42. @savvy shopper: I've washed my bettina cami and line dried it. I would think it might shrink so slightly if you put it in the dryer. It's sad but I line dry most of my tops now in the fear of things falling apart.
    Also, I took my regular perfect shirt size for this and didn't size down. HTH!

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  43. I second everything Jcrewphd said.

    Love, love my Bettina camis (both the rose and ash). I have handwashed and air dryed each a couple of times and they have washed well.

    I also purchased my usual perfect shirt size. I find them to be a tad wider at the bottom than some of my other JC shirts, so they tuck or hang out well, even on little ol' pear-shaped me.

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  44. I meant "dried." Can't type today.

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  45. I found this guy rather fun and amusing to see in a JCrew catalog. Definitely different but that can be a good thing esp. for JCrew PR!

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  46. Have a look at this week's New Yorker article on Mr Drexler. Great story!

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  47. He looks like the unibomber. Lots of male celebrities try this look and fail. I am also tired of all the female models standing pigeon toed. OK, I am done. Stil love the Crew!

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  48. OT-
    Trying to reach "Fashion Dork" blogger. If anyone knows how or if you get this, will you please email me:
    jcrewjunkie @ sbcglobal.net
    Polyvore PM: sweetsy
    Thanks!

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  49. Ha! I secretly thought he looked like my college boyfriend and speculated it was his model brother (it's not!)... and my husband (tells you a lot about me, eh?) is usually pretty hairy-beard & long hair-and wears jcrew because i buy him his clothes :)

    i pointed out to my husband how well groomed that man's beard is too, his is never quite so sharply trimmed ;)

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