Preppy retailer J. Crew is relaunching its iconic catalog, which once featured models on sailboats, at picnics, and in the mountains, wearing, of course, J. Crew shorts, swimsuits, sweaters, and jackets. The relaunch comes seven years after the print publication ceased publication in 2017.
Actress Demi Moore is featured on the cover of the first issue of the revamped book, which is set to launch earlier this month.
The brand, which began as a purveyor of classic American wardrobe staples, struggled over the past decade under former creative director and president Jenna Lyons, who added sequins to blazers and encouraged the mixing and matching of prints while raising its prices. In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, the company filed for bankruptcy.
With the return of the catalog — a throwback to a time when the brand was profitable — the company appears to have regained its footing, betting that a return to its roots as a mid-range, preppy brand will evoke nostalgia among shoppers and help consumers reconnect with the brand.
J. Crew
“We’re finally back in charge,” J. Crew CEO Libby Wadle told the Wall Street Journal in a recent interview. “We’ve seen a lot of generations come back to the brand or join the brand for the first time.”
J. Crew told CBS MoneyWatch that its “iconic and beloved fall catalog returns in a new, modern light, building on the brand’s rich and aspirational creative heritage.”
The book marries “the brand’s original preppy heritage with a contemporary twist on timeless style, while maintaining a sentimental and realistic feel,” J. Crew said.
J. Crew
The catalog’s relaunch is partly in response to consumer demand, the company says. Inspired by the style of an editorial publication, the catalog includes an interview with Moore, as well as photographs of the actress wearing J. Crew pieces, including a vintage sweater from her own collection. As a result, it feels more like a fashion magazine than a clothing catalog.
The new catalog features many familiar elements from previous editions, but also includes some improvements, including thicker paper and QR codes that digitally-minded shoppers can scan to be directed to the company’s app.
Another difference: there will be only three editions per year, versus 13. The catalog will still be free and available in J. Crew stores and by mail.
J. Crew
Over the past decade, many businesses have replaced their catalogs with digital marketing campaigns. But paper mail is making a comeback. Even Amazon is sending one out in the run-up to Christmas.
But few consumers are as attached to other brands’ catalogs as J. Crew loyalists are to the brand’s popular newsletter, which even has an Instagram account. Called “lostjcrew,” the account features images of J. Crew catalogs produced between 1983 and 1997 and has nearly 82,000 followers.
