J.Crew has been a major player in the industry for decades. But how much do you know about
J.Crew — and all the ways to save money on the brand? Before you spend a dime, let's
go over everything you need to know about the beloved clothing company.
For as much as there is to love about J.Crew, the company had been struggling to keep up
in the retail market even before the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by CNN Business. So
once they had to close their doors due to quarantine, it became clear fairly quickly
that J.Crew had to take action, according to Mark Cohen, director of retail studies
at the Columbia Business School. He explained,
"The retailers who were wandering around aimlessly pre-pandemic are going to be substantially
less likely to muddle through than they were before."
To that end, J.Crew filed for bankruptcy on May 4, 2020. But that doesn't mean the retailer
is done for, according to J.Crew Group CEO Jan Singer, who said in an official statement:
"We will continue all day-to-day operations."
J.Crew also has every intention of weathering the bankruptcy storm and coming out afterwards
as a profitable company once again. So, for now, we can rely on shopping at J.Crew.
Before J.Crew filed for bankruptcy in 2020, it was already reported to be in a bit of
a financial pickle. With many retail behemoths like The Gap downsizing, it can be a bit of
a gamble to fall in love with a brand only to watch it shrink. And J. Crew is no exception
— the brand has waxed and waned throughout its existence due to shifting fashion trends
and shopping methods.
According to Business Insider, the first J.Crew catalog launched its preppy wares to near-immediate
success in 1983. As the popularity of catalog shopping waned, J.Crew saw the writing on
the wall and launched brick and mortar stores in the late '80s. Throughout the early 2000s,
the brand tried new partnerships, launched a wedding line, opened sister store Madewell,
and attempted to go a little more high-brow. Some efforts were successful and others were
duds, but ultimately, with the success of Madewell and some restructuring plans, the
J.Crew family of brands stuck around.
J.Crew works to both support its communities and make sure that the work it and its partners
do is conducted ethically and thoughtfully. The popular brand works to support communities
through efforts like fundraisers, donations, and volunteer opportunities for associates
throughout the company. The brand also offers a matching program, providing money to match
either volunteer time or cash donated by employees.
Also, J.Crew takes ethical sourcing seriously. The brand holds partners to the same standards,
as its website states,
"We're committed to sourcing our products in a legal, ethical and responsible manner
— that's why we aim to partner with suppliers who share this belief and work with them to
promote better working conditions."
Specifically, J.Crew employs a Vendor Code of Conduct and monitors conditions in partner
facilities, aiding in improving conditions that fall short of those standards.
J.Crew has multiple categories when it comes to shopping options. First up is the old stand-by,
J.Crew retail stores, like the ones commonly found in shopping mall settings. The second
is J.Crew Factory, which sells lower-priced items. Under the Factory umbrella is also
the brand's store J.Crew Mercantile, which sells nearly identical merchandise as those
sold at the Factory locations but are located outside of traditional outlet mall settings.
In addition to J.Crew and J.Crew Factory, J.Crew boasts Madewell as its younger sister
brand. Launched as a women's "denim-centric" J.Crew subsidiary in 2006, the brand took
off quickly. Selling wardrobe staples rooted in a workwear tradition like jeans and button-down
shirts, the brand is simple and timeless, and in September 2018, Madewell also launched
a menswear line. On Madewell.com, the company boasts,
"Simply put, we make great jeans. We also focus on all the things you wear with denim,
like effortless tees, keep-forever bags, cool jewelry and compliment-worthy shoes."
Environmentally savvy shoppers might be interested to know that J.Crew takes great measures to
assure that it is working to lessen the negative impact that their stores may make on the planet.
The J.Crew website lists its three key objectives in working to ensure J.Crew and sister brands
are environmentally friendly as quote, "facility and product impacts," "supply chain performance,"
and "associate and customer engagement."
They employ four key strategies to reach those objectives. First, J.Crew tackles energy efficiency.
In J.Crew offices and retail stores, steps are taken to lessen energy use by installing
technology like energy-efficient lighting and sensor lighting, as well as low-water
volume restroom features.
Second, J.Crew provides responsibly sourced paper products. Since the company utilizes
paper shopping bags and catalogs, it also works with suppliers in a commitment to monitor
the percentage of products that are recycled and how they are sourced.
J.Crew's third strategy is waste minimization, as the company works to reuse or recycle products
when possible.
And finally, in strong partnership with businesses in the supply chain, J.Crew works to ensure
that environmental impacts are reduced from the top down.
If size inclusivity is important to you as a shopper, J.Crew and its subsidiaries are
providing some of what you crave. The J.Crew brand, along with Madewell, launched extended
sizing — up to size 35 — of some denim offerings in early 2018, but, at the time,
it was only available online and sold out immediately.
"Thank you! Thank you for defending a woman's right to use her body however she chooses!"
Realizing the market and demand, they began rolling out more plus-sized options in the
following months of 2018. J.Crew also launched a partnership with plus-sized clothing producer
Universal Standard to offer a broader range of sizes in the latter brand's simple style.
J.Crew's chief merchandising officer told HuffPost,
"We're on a mission to make great style available to everyone."
The initial collection ranged up to 5X and included 37 different styles, such as wide-leg
jumpsuits, tunics, and tees. The partnership launched with the hashtag #SetYourStandard.
Like the 2018 collaboration with Universal Standard, J.Crew has a rich history of partnering
with other brands to offer unique products. For instance JCrew.com has listed more than
60 brands in their Brands We Love section. Examples include Le Specs sunglasses, dog
collars from The Knot House, and even a Carhartt fanny pack. But that's not all!
Starting with Nike, J.Crew launched a series of popular sneaker partnerships. The Nike
Killshot model has continually sold out quickly, and brands like Vans, New Balance, and Asics
are now in on the action as the sports casual trend continues.
J.Crew has also been lauded for launching a non-traditional marketing initiative with
WeWork and LinkedIn. The collaboration included co-presented business and networking events
as well as pop-up shops to directly reach a professional crowd, offering discounts to
WeWork employees.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama is famous from coast to coast for her impeccable taste
in clothing. NPR's Renee Montagne reported on a Harvard Business Review study for Morning
Edition regarding the former FLOTUS's effect on, quote, "29 publicly traded companies whose
clothes she's worn," and the findings were staggering.
"The magazine says so far the First Lady effect is worth an additional $2.7 billion for the
combined stock of those 29 companies."
That's why when Obama came out early on in her husband's first term sporting J.Crew offerings,
the brand's notoriety and stock prices rose significantly. According to NPR's Code Switch,
when the Obamas made their very first official trip to the U.K., she donned a J.Crew "jeweled
cream silk cardigan over a pale green pencil skirt," and the sweater sold out within hours
of the photos hitting the news.
You might want to consider taking the plunge and signing up for a J.Crew credit card so
you can purchase your way into some serious rewards. Here's how it works. There is no
annual fee associated with the card, and it has convenient online bill pay and account
management, as well as the ability to add cards for authorized users. The card carries
a standard variable APR of 26.49 percent. The application process is pretty standard
and easy to navigate, but it does require the user to be over 18, have a valid ID, tax
ID, and mailing address.
Now for the rewards. The first purchase made with the credit card gets 15 percent off.
From there, cardholders who are enrolled in the J.Crew Rewards program get double the
points. This means that for every dollar spent, two points are earned. And, if you spend $100,
you get $5 worth of points. Standard shipping is always free for users, and you also get
access to free standard alterations, a birthday surprise, and access to exclusive deals and
priority customer service.
If you are looking to drop dough with a brand that is representative of the diversity of
the world, J.Crew is making efforts to do just that. Often criticized for its exclusive
"New England preppy" look, the brand is aiming for a more inclusive marketing strategy.
With Lauren Hutton as a longtime face of the brand, J.Crew has attempted to erase age boundaries
in their ads and online presence.
"I want to do it because I think it's important for my whole generation of women."
By working with plus-sized models surrounding the launch of Universal Standard, the brand
looks to do the same in regards to representing an array of diverse body types. Creative director
Johanna Uurasjarvi spoke to Vogue regarding the brand's strategy in 2018, saying,
"J.Crew is a well-loved, iconic American brand, and we're updating it to reflect the America
of today and of the future to be more inclusive, more diverse, and more modern."
Though J.Crew has been making the effort, the company doesn't always get it right. In
2017, there was serious online debate regarding the hairstyle of a model of color on Madewell,
with many suggesting that J.Crew, quote, "didn't hire someone who knew how to style her hair,"
according to Cosmopolitan. J.Crew apologized via Twitter.
If you purchase an item or receive a gift that doesn't quite work for you, J.Crew has
several options to resolve the situation. According to their return and exchange policy,
items can be returned or exchanged within 30 days of purchase if they are "unworn, unwashed,
undamaged or defective," regardless of where the initial sale was made. J.Crew also allows
online returns, though they do charge a $7.50 fee for return shipping, which is deducted
from the return total. It can take up to two weeks to get a refund processed. If you received
a gift you don't love, the return or exchange process is the same but they do require a
gift receipt.
It is important to note that items bought at J.Crew cannot be returned to J.Crew Factory
and vice versa. Thankfully, price adjustments are offered if your recent purchase just went
on sale with the stipulation that it was full price when you bought it, if it is "within
seven days of the retail purchase or mail-order ship date," and if you have the original receipt.
While J.Crew's incredibly popular wedding collection sadly shuttered in 2016, after
12 years in operation, the men's suit department remains open for business. So while brides
may be out of luck with the brand, the grooms are swimming in options. In fact, GQ listed
J.Crew's linen Ludlow suit as one of the magazine's top picks for summer wedding suits in June
2019.
Beyond wedding outfitting, J.Crew offers a robust array of suiting options. The J.Crew
retail site lists different suit jackets, suit pants, and tuxedo jackets, while the
J.Crew Factory site has suits and tuxedo jackets listed at lower prices. With fabric options
ranging from cotton and wool to plaid and herringbone, there is something for every
season and occasion. And, according to Men's Journal, when J.Crew Factory has a sale on,
it is a fantastic time to nab a suit as products may be up to 50 percent off.
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