Mark your calendars! The most coveted stores are making their way north of the border.
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Ladies, put your catalogues away! J.Crew’s first international store opens this August in Toronto. ELLE Canada spoke with president and creative director Jenna Lyons—J.Crew’s often-emulated style maven—about the new store and what she will be wearing this season.
What is unique about shopping in your store?
“Two things you don’t get online or from the catalogue are the personal touch and the sense of community that we try to establish in the store. Our personal shoppers are really a huge part of what we do. Personal shoppers are usually found in high-end stores, but we pay a huge amount of attention to that level of service—and we don’t charge for it.”
I’ve read that the fall collection was inspired by movies like The Great Gatsby and Bonnie and Clyde. Is this true?
“Yes, it’s true. Those films were very influential in shaping the women’s collection. It’s subtle, but we’re loving the shift in proportion— the waist coming up higher, colour getting a little bit more intense—and we’re really feeling the man-tailored pieces mixed in. It’s important now because seasons are changing and shifting so much—fall isn’t fall anymore; it’s more like end-of-summer. So, how do you kind of extend the summer a little bit? I think colour is a great way to do that.”
“I think what’s important, and part of the heritage of the brand, is this underlying sense of being classic. But, to me, classic really stems from men’s tailoring: the white shirt, the classic trousers, the trench coat. No matter what we’re doing, that is always the undertone. And whether the feminine twist is a shift in proportion, sequins or a sense of colour, it’s always about finding that new thing that makes it feel a bit more feminine.”
