J.Crew Debuts on Lane Crawford

The following is from Jing Daily about J.Crew's expansion into the Hong Kong market (click here to read in its entirety):

J.Crew’s China Adventure Set To Kick Off In Hong Kong
By Jing Daily
September 25, 2012

After months of planning and anticipation, American retailer J. Crew’s long-awaited Autumn/Winter 2012 expansion in partnership with Hong Kong’s Lane Crawford is finally set to launch. Appearing first at Lane Crawford Canton Road and online at lanecrawford.com on September 26, followed by Lane Crawford ifc mall on September 28, J.Crew will offer customers in Asia special access to curated women’s and men’s ready-to-wear collections, including shoes and accessories. This two-pronged on- and offline approach will give customers throughout Hong Kong and mainland China the ability to shop in-person at J.Crew outside of North America for the first time.

J.Crew’s partnership with Lane Crawford is unfolding in real-time this week as an instructive — and likely promising — case study of how some Western brands are entering, or perhaps should enter, the Chinese market. By starting with an online-heavy strategy and partnering with a department store, J.Crew is able to bypass many of the headaches that accompany the construction of a full-blown store. As Divia Harilela recently wrote for Jing Daily, “tread[ing] lightly by creating an online presence first” instead of diving head-first by establishing a physical presence is the wiser road to take, particularly for a brand that’s well-established at home but untested in Asia.

J.Crew began its Greater China expansion late last year, starting by offering flat-rate shipping to Hong Kong (HK$150) and mainland China (US$30). Within six months, Hong Kong quickly became one of J.Crew’s top five biggest markets. The company seems confident that finding and partnering with a credible retailer (or e-tailer) before going solo is an effective way to tackle the very different animal that is the Chinese market now that it’s set for a physical appearance. Only after a strong online presence is established under the wing of Lane Crawford will J.Crew likely find the idea of opening an independent brick-and-mortar store in Hong Kong less daunting and more economically viable.

But what’s a grand opening without a party? To celebrate the collaboration, a cocktail event will be held on October 11, 2012 at Lane Crawford ifc mall, attended by leading members of the J. Crew team, among them creative director Jenna Lyons, womenswear head designer Tom Mora and menswear head designer Frank Muytjens.

Some JCAs may have already noticed over at lanecrawford.com, that it already features J.Crew's merchandise. (Make sure you change which country you are in.) I also love that I have another source to see how the clothes actually look on a model. Very cool!

Also, the party that J.Crew will be throwing next week sounds amazing. If any JCAs are attending, please share about the details!!!

What are your thoughts on J.Crew's entrance to the Hong Kong market? Do you think Lane Crawford is a good match for the retailer?

J.Crew Enters the Asian Fashion Market

The following article is from Fashionista (click here to read in its entirety):

J.Crew To Make Its First Appearance In Asia, Continues Plan for World Domination
By Hayley Phelan
June 11, 2012

J.Crew is on a roll. After reporting a strong sales lift two weeks ago (profits nearly doubled over the last year), the retailer has another exciting announcement: Their wares will now be available in Hong Kong and China, thanks to a new collaboration with luxury retailer Lane Crawford.

According to a press release, a curated selection of J.Crew’s women’s and men’s ready-to-wear collection, as well as shoes, will be available at select Lane Crawford stores and online starting in October 2012.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with J.Crew on this first-ever, unique multi-channel project,” Lane Crawford’s president Andrew Keith said.

The partnership is also a first for J.Crew. While the American brand has a similar relationship with Net-a-Porter, the collaboration with Lane Crawford marks the first time J.Crew’s clothes will be sold at brick-and-mortar stores outside North America. And J.Crew couldn’t be happier about it.

“We always want to work with the ‘best of the best,’ and Lane Crawford was at the top of our fantasy list,” J.Crew’s CEO Mickey Drexler said. “When it comes to editing and presenting collections with a creative and elevated point of view, no one does it better. We are beyond excited to partner with Lane Crawford to help introduce J.Crew to Asia.”

Of course, the collaboration with Lane Crawford is only the beginning. J.Crew has set its sights on becoming a household name all around the world. “One of the big priorities is building the global brand, in a disciplined, deliberate manner,” Stuart Haselden, J.Crew’s chief financial officer, told WWD. And with retail stores in Canada, an online store that distributes to 106 countries, and brick-and-mortar locations in the U.K. and Hong Kong expected to open soon, it’s safe to say the American retailer is well on its way to world domination.

Pretty exciting international expansion! (They are definitely moving quickly abroad in the past few years.) Curious if they will slow down a bit and concentrate in the international markets they have just entered, or move forward to include additional locations...

What are your thoughts on J.Crew's entrance to the Hong Kong market? What market should they pursue next?