Thursday, October 23, 2014

J.Crew's Mickey Drexler Talks about J.Crew


"Thanks!" to many of you, including J.Crew Guy in Canada, who let us know about a new interview with J.Crew's Mickey Drexler on Bloomberg business.

The video comes from Bloomberg (click here to watch). The following article is a summary from Racked (click here to read in its entirety):
J.Crew Poobah Mickey Drexler Finally Lets Us Into His Brain
By Adele Chapin
October 21, 2014

J.Crew's chairman and CEO Mickey Drexler answered tough questions about the current state of retail from Bloomberg Television anchor Stephanie Ruhle yesterday, and his comments offer insight into the inner workings of Drexler's brain and, perhaps, J.Crew's current strategy.

There is one direction Drexler says J.Crew definitely won't be pursuing, and that's activewear. He told Ruhle: "Well I'll tell you where we thought about being in, was the active professional kind of business, the yoga or the Under Armour kind of business, but we're not getting in because we don't have the expertise to do that. We're getting into businesses that we're going to be more aggressive about, more ambition about, and invest more, but we're pretty satisfied with the breadth of our products. And now it's a matter of the correct expansion, correct design involvement, and quality. And I say quality because that's really important."

So no J.Crew-branded yoga pants for the foreseeable future. Is it because the J.Crew realizes they can't do this better than Under Armour, as Drexler says? Maybe because J.Crew knows its shopper so well, and trendy athleisure wear doesn't fit into that vision. Or Drexler afraid of reaching into new product lines and overextending, after his experience at Gap.

Ruhle also wanted to know what Drexler thinks of fast fashion. For the record, Drexler likes Zara. He says of Zara: "If you want clothes that don't last a long time and you want to be of the moment and you want a designer look, from what I hear—I don't wear their clothes—you might go there. It's not going to be in your wardrobe a year from today. I think they know that. They're really good at what they do. We on the other hand make clothes that we want people to keep and never throw out.

And in an era where nearly every store is offering deals left and right, Drexler admires retailers who never go on sale. "I am so jealous of Louis Vuitton, okay?," he said. "And that's a 100, 200-year-old brand that has had high integrity for a couple of hundred years. You might add Chanel into that as the only perhaps other one out there and a few others."

Since the world is "over-stored" and "over-garmented," Drexler suggests, retailers have to differentiate their products and can't rely on price slashing—even if customers demand it. "I think the retailer has to have pride and integrity in what they do. And there are enough of us left out there, maybe much less who aren't playing the price game. It's what we do. It is hard, but nothing's ever been easy," he said.
Remember when J.Crew did carry a Yoga line? That was a long time ago. But I do tend to agree that is an area they should not focus on.

I also have to agree with Mickey on the following quote: "We're getting into businesses that we're going to be more aggressive about, ... And now it's a matter of the correct expansion, correct design involvement, and quality. And I say quality because that's really important." I think this is how J.Crew continues to be the J.Crew we all know and love. I think this last rollout, {fingers crossed}, is an example of them trying to get back on track.

By the way, you can just tell that Mickey Drexler really dislikes that J.Crew goes on sale. I hope no one tells him how fast some items get marked down! ;)

What are your thoughts on the article? Any points you agree or disagree with? Please share! :)

25 comments:

  1. I am sure he does dislike (hate) sale. I on the other hand wait for it. Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
  2. J crew not playing the pricing game , offering top quaility and keeping J Crew clothing for years..... what planet has Mickey been living on...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think he might be remembering the 2004-2008 glory days of J.Crew as much as we are! ;)

      Delete
  3. mickey does realize j. crew is ultimately a mall brand, right? a higher-end mall brand, but still mall. and ultimately, I feel like mall brands live and die by their sale section - it's the only way so many of us can afford their clothes! accept it and love it, mickey.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Keeping for years" got to me, too. I would so love it if that were true again.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "I hope no one tells him how fast some items get marked down!" -- that was funny, Alexis.

    If there are no current reports of merch flying out the doors, he needs to know that the peak of those days was the chiffon rose tee or shortly thereafter. 2009! Who remembers that thing going on sale for double the price on Ebay? Items definitely weren't getting marked down a few weeks after debut.

    We've heard and seen similar comments from Mickey about quality and price. After years of hearing it and then watching the video, a few of points stood out. 'J. Crew is about connecting with the customer.' Not all JCAs have stellar experiences, but I've met some amazing employees, in multiple stores. I've only purchased 2 items in the past 60 days from a store (Instapics: black rib-stitch cardi & the dangling teardrops necklace), however I still cruise thru to say hi to whoever's there. And the reason I've gotten so much into Kate Spade the past two years is because a J. Crew store mgr moved to that brand. The company's staff and this online community have kept me engaged even when the current style didn't match mine or my needs.

    Another point -- 'building a business is a forever thing' -- really resonated, personally. I work from job to job; not for one company. As somewhat of an independent contractor, I'm often asked to work for less than what I'm worth. If I don't accept the proposal, there are others who will happily take the job. When I look at what Mickey says thru that perspective, it now sounds like he puts an enormous effort into building a business and wants the goods to sell for what he feels they're worth. Of course, wants and reality aren't always in alignment. We've all experienced a decline in quality at the brand and that's a fact. My main observation is that I used to view the lack of full-price promos as stubborness. Now I see that it's a strategy not to go the way of other retailers. You can sale price your way right out of business.

    And finally -- 'this is a long-term business for me' -- is a good message for anyone who loves what they do and feel very discouraged in the tough times. It's a marathon. Not a sprint. Stay committed to a long-term vision. Sometimes I tend to think in the short-term in my work, hoping that will allow me to be flexible and responsive. I'm probably more emotional when I do that, which may not lead to great business decisions. I'm inspired to find a balance between the long and short. As far as J. Crew if they can get their design essence back on track, the love affair will continue for many of us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gigi, you so perfectly captured so many excellent points!!! On one of the points, I have to say that J.Crew does an excellent job with their employees. I have met so many great associates and personal stylists who take out the time to know my name. Yes, there is an occasional employee who may not know their stuff or ignore me, but most really do love the brand.

      I also like to see J.Crew maintaining the brand to their own high standards. I like that J.Crew is willing to autocorrect itself where it can. Sometimes a little late in my book, but they always make up for it with something I have to have! ;)

      Delete
    2. I agree 1000% about their employees and connecting with the customer. Their SA do such a great job of this, and Mickey himself does it too.

      Delete
  6. Wow, how out of reach is Mickey with what is actually going on in the JCREW retail operations?

    I find it ironic that he thinks Zara is "fast-fashion" and JCREW is about "long lasting quality". I mean with the qualities I've been having with JCREW....the cashmere sweaters developing multiple holes after wearing it for less then a handful of times, stones on sweatshirts falling off, seams of pants coming undone etc. just to name a few of the issues from the top of my head.

    I like that someone earlier pointed out that at the end of the day, JCREW is a mall brand. My girlfriends and I always said that while we are big fans of JCREW, none of their clothing is worth full price to be honest. When u catch them on super-sale it is great, to wear them for a season or 2 and move on to something else.

    I am sure that sentiment is shared by a lot of other JCAs. What is funny to me about this article is that I actually consider JCREW as "fast-fashion", never would I (or anyone I know) associate JCREW with the likes of Louis Vuitton. It simply isn't and I wish Mickey would stop trying to make that happen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It did feel like a back handed compliment to Zara. ;) But I get what he is trying to say. There are definitely pieces from J.Crew that are classics (like their Majesty Peacoats).

      However, I think he seems to forget about some of their other pieces: the denim jumpsuit, the paint splattered paints, and that ugly brown rain coat that are totally "fast fashion" wannabes with high fashion prices. ;)

      Delete
    2. Thank you for the name! I was going to call it the "murder coat" but worried no one would know what I was referring to! ;)

      Delete
    3. My gorgeous bags from the "glory" days are still going strong. Those puppies were made very well. I also think their outerwear is very well made, too.

      The rest of their offerings? Meh, not so much. Their offerings can be cute, and colorful, but at the end of the day, they have to be handled like a newborn baby to keep them in great shape.

      Delete
  7. I get that Mickey is trying to push J Crew as an aspirational brand. I get that he wants to focus on the Collection part of J Crew more than the Danke sweatshirt part of the business. (Then again, no one seems to want to want to focus on the Danke sweatshirt).

    But here's the thing: you can't talk about quality and (especially) integrity when you're churning out thousands and thousands of styles per year. I don't see any more quality and integrity in $60 Crewcuts chino shorts than I do in the $16 Old Navy chino shorts for my daughters.

    I'm sure most of us would agree that what we'd like to see MORE integrity - more brand focus and more closely edited offerings. Get to it, Mickey!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "I'm sure most of us would agree that what we'd like to see MORE integrity - more brand focus and more closely edited offerings. Get to it, Mickey! "

      This. is. spot. on.

      Delete
  8. I still have the yoga top that I bought in 2007(?). It is great, super soft, nice shelf bra, beautiful citron color. They don't think they can do activewear? I beg to differ, but I guess they don't think so...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Most of my J. Crew stuff lasts forever. My purses hold up great. Coats, great. Pants and jeans, great. Shoes, great. Jewelry, great. Flannels, button-downs, great. The only trouble I recall is occasional hole in a vintage tee and sweater pilling. I could be forgetting something? Crewlade may affect my memory!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I see what Mickey is saying when I look at the Men's section but not so much the women's section. The clothes that I buy for my husband have lasted for years and have held up {he's hard on clothes} and are timeless. I have J Crew skirts and sweaters from the 1990's that I still wear that are relevant and in good shape but I find it hard sometimes to buy those type of items now that I think I may want to wear in 2 years, or even 5. I'm looking harder at my purchases but if I want that fast fashion item I will go to Old Navy and pay the $20 because I don't expect it to last and I want it for a season. Maybe Mickey needs to take Jenna out to lunch for a talk because I don't think they are on the same page.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My oldest J Crew item is a cotton rollneck sweater from 1992 or so that "just" started having stitching problems on the sleeve, how's that for quality!

      Delete
    2. oh my gosh! I was just having a flashback moment the other day and remembering those rollneck sweaters from the early 90s. They were a staple in the JC catalogs. And yes, my older JC items were made very well. I had a peacoat that I bought in 2004 and just got rid of like a year ago, only because I was sick of wearing it (and tired of the color). But physically though, there was nothing wrong with it and it still looked new!

      Delete
  11. Great comments here. ITA about churning out so many iterations of the same piece. Like the sweater with zippers - it was around last year (and maybe the year before)... what are they thinking?

    "Let's put a zipper on one shoulder.... then on this one we'll put a zipper on both shoulders... this one will have a zipper on the right side... this one will have a zipper on the bottom left.... this one will have two bottom zippers... this one will have a zip at the right shoulder and left side, this one will have zippers at an angle, and this one will have zippers EVERYWHERE!" Next thing you know, customers are over zippered sweaters and they have 20 different ones in the sale section for a year.

    Just do one, NAIL IT, drop the mic and walk away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The zippers are really very unfortunate, especially since they turn pieces that would otherwise be classics to wear for years to come into trendy items that will only last for a season or two. There are numerous items they've offered over the past year or two that I would have bought had they not had a zipper on them.

      Delete
    2. This makes me laugh so hard =) And I completely agree. I guess they seem to go through phases of "things" they put on everything until you get sick of them...several years ago it was the "ruffles" stage, every single item they offered had ruffles, then it was sequin, followed by jeweled/stones, and then leather panel everything, now zippers!!

      Delete
    3. OTOH if you keep everything the same all the time (i.e. classic) no one has a reason to buy this season's offerings unless their prior stuff has worn out. Hence their marketing telling us we don't already have a sweater like this.

      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! :)