Jenna Lyons, Creative Director of J.Crew is being featured prominently this month. Above, she pictured in the current issue of Town & Country magazine.

She is wearing a skirt from the J.Crew Fall 2009 Collection. Click here to see a picture of it as featured in the J.Crew Fall 2009 Look Book.

Below are some feature articles with her. Enjoy!

J. Crew’s Jenna Lyons: See What’s In Her Office
By Rachel Strugatz, Huffington Post

Meet Jenna Lyons, the creative director of J. Crew, the face behind “Jenna’s Picks,” and the resident visionary responsible for catapulting the retailer into a realm of success never seen by the likes of most brands. From her wall of inspirations, notes and cards from luminaries in the art and fashion worlds, countless magazines and books, photographs of her son coupled with handmade art from her husband, and samples for upcoming J. Crew designer collaborations, I got an inside look at Jenna’s workspace from both a personal and professional standpoint. It’s no wonder that the retailer, with 207 stores nationwide and a thriving e-commerce component, still continues to do swimmingly well amidst the current economic climate (it also doesn’t hurt that Michelle Obama is a fan). Read more…

J.Crew’s Jenna Lyons is building an empire
By Booth Moore, LA Times

Michelle Obama has given the company a big bump in sales, but to many fans, it’s the creative director who embodies the brand’s elegantly casual essence.

It all started with the yellow outfit — the Pembridge dot pencil skirt, the Italian deco tank and the color-block cardigan. Michelle Obama wore them for an appearance on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” in October, revealing that she had purchased the items online from J.Crew.  Read more…

Style Interview: Talking With J.Crew’s Jenna Lyons
By Marla J. Wasserman, Promenade Magazine

Long before Michelle Obama catapulted J.Crew’s popularity into the stratosphere, Jenna Lyons intimately understood the brand’s allure. For the past two decades, Lyons has been part of J.Crew’s design team and now reigns as the brand’s Creative Director. With her all-American model look and athletic physique, Lyons epitomizes the classic, chic style synonymous with J.Crew and easily relates to the consumer’s desires. Two years ago, Lyons helped spearhead the launch of J.Crew Collection recognizing that a market exists for a couture-quality splurge now and again. Despite a hectic schedule – including helping to outfit Sasha and Malia – we recently got Lyons to share the inside scoop on the hottest summer items, where the brand is headed and how you can soon outfit your kids in Crewcuts, when a new city store debuts this summer. Read more…

A segment on Mickey Drexler, the CEO of J.Crew aired yesterday morning on CBS Sunday Morning. Check out the WWD’s announcement below. I have also posted a link to the article.

MICKEY IN THE MORNING: Millard “Mickey” Drexler and his unorthodox management style, from his daily bicycle ride through J. Crew headquarters to his trademarked off-the-cuff loudspeaker pages communicating company developments to the entire staff, gets profiled this Sunday on CBS’ “Sunday Morning” at 9 a.m.

Host Serena Altschul and producer Ramon Parkins were practically embedded at J. Crew offices, closely trailing Drexler and his team on and off for about a year, experiencing closed-door design reviews, spontaneous brainstorming sessions, photo shoots and the rise of new retail concepts, such as the Liquor and the J. Crew Collection stores. There’s also a sit-down interview with Drexler on the construction site of the recently opened men’s shop on lower Broadway. The segment is also scheduled to air on Charles Osgood’s weekly radio show this morning on CBS Radio.

Click “Clothes Made This Man, and Vice Versa” for the complete story of Mickey Drexler and J.Crew.

In the latest issue of Real Simple magazine, I spotted a model wearing the Victoria ruffle cami with the Coccodrillo skirt.   The cami is sold out at J.Crew and the skirt is an in-store only item.

However, a cardigan, a pair of shorts, and some swim pieces are available online in the same Coccodrillo print. Of the print, J.Crew says:

We found this vintage alligator print in the archives of one of Italy’s top mills, Como-based Ratti—known the world over for its fine luxury fabrics and as famous for its intricate, one-of-a-kind prints as it is for its high-end, couture clientele.

What are your thoughts on this print?

Victoria ruffle cami, $98.00, Item 99930

Cocodrillo cardigan, $88.00, Item 16573

Coccodrillo short, $98.00, Item 15010

Cocodrillo ruched french tank, $125.00, Item 15954

Cocodrillo wide-band halter top, $56.00, Item 15981

Space-dyed cotton cardigan, $108.00, Item 15401

Martha Stewart was on The Today Show yesterday teaching us how to make our own ice cream. For her appearance, she wore the space-dyed cotton cardigan from J.Crew.

I think she looks great in it! See the video clip below.

In the May issue of Instyle magazine with Rebecca Romijn, J.Crew was featured on several pages. Please see the scanned pages below!

I love spotting J.Crew in magazines. It’s especially exciting when I recognize the item as being from J.Crew before I look at the credits.

Have you spotted J.Crew somewhere recently?

Embossed-cotton dip-dye Lorelei dress, $110.00, Item 15200

Liberty Wiltshire ruffle string top, $56.00, Item 15592

Summerweight V-neck cardigan, $69.50, Item 13888

This black dress is currently not yet available, but will retail for$148. J.Crew is expected to debut it later this summer.

In the current issue of OK Magazine, I spotted the silk dupioni rosette dress from J.Crew. The dress is featured in navy in a spread highlighting rosettes and florals as great summer trend.

On the J.Crew website, the silk dupioni rosette dress is sold out in navy, but is still available in sweet papaya color. (Click here to see real life pictures of the rosette tee.)

Silk dupioni rosette dress, $495.00, Item 14892

Thanks so much to Shaina and Pinsuda on Twitter for letting me know!

On the Today show, Kathy Ireland is wearing a J.Crew necklace, the silk solid tunic and a skirt that is currently store only. 

On Fox News, she is wearing the Medallion lattice top.

See the videos below to see the J.Crew clothes on Kathy Ireland.
 

The Racked posted a short blurb yesterday highlighting an interview with Jenna Lyons & Frank Muytjens, J.Crew’s creative director and head of men’s design respectively, discuss the spring trends.

The full interview can be found at Time Out New York. I have posted it below for your reading pleasure!

Ripped-up jeans that cost a fortune
Lyons: I love them, and I hate them. I love the look and understand that not everyone has the time or the creativity to make them look that way. But I hate that the store-bought ones cost a fortune.
Muytjens: I like the idea of them. I wear unwashed jeans and break them in myself. When you buy jeans, they’re so rigid, but you wear them throughout the years, and they become yours; they mold to your body, and they fade on their own. When you earn it, it’s real and it’s genuine.

Bow ties for men
Muytjens: The bow tie has a bad rap. It all depends on the guy. If you remove the bow tie from its East Coast, preppy context and put it on a guy wearing an oxford shirt with rolled-up sleeves and skinny jeans, it definitely has a place.
Lyons: If you’re Barack Obama you can sport a bow tie anytime you want. Aside from that, I love bow ties on younger guys. I think there’s something really playful and tongue-in-cheek about a younger guy wearing jeans and a bow tie.

Teeny, tiny “It” bags
Lyons: Tiny little bags, tiny little cell phones and tiny little charms for your phone all go in the same category for me: What? I have no appreciation for them whatsoever. I have total appreciation for an evening bag, in which a girl can keep her keys, her credit card, her safety cash and her lipgloss. But I just don’t get small bags. Small bags have no reason for being.
Muytjens: I completely agree with Jenna. I don’t look at women’s bags every day, but I do notice a woman with a classic bag that can last for years and years. It’s like a woman’s signature. You don’t have to change it every month or follow the latest trends.

Animal prints
Lyons: Oh God. They’re hard because they just don’t die. It’s not like I don’t like them, I just wish they would come in and then just go away for a while. But they seem to stay forever.
Muytjens: But they sell well…

Super-duper high heels
Lyons: I love heels, so I think it’s unfortunate that a taller woman—five foot seven and above—looks proportionally better in a pair of heels than really small girls. Small girls in high heels look like they’re on stilts, and it can look ridiculous, not elegant.
Muytjens: It’s about how you put it together. For instance, Jenna will wear high heels and combine it with cargo pants to make it more interesting and not so cookie-cutter.

Sweatpants in public
Muytjens: No. They’re made to work out in.
Lyons: For men, I totally agree. Girls can pretty much do anything they want if it’s done right. A pair of gray sweatpants by Phillip Lim with a little cuff at the bottom and paired with little heels, an oversize men’s blazer and a little sequin top, then yeah, totally there. But sweatpants tucked into Uggs? No.

Tight pants on men
Muytjens: On the right guy, it looks really cool. With Converse sneakers and all that. At the same time, you have to be careful not to make it too trashy.
Jenna: If you can see his package, there’s a problem. Trends are scary because when something becomes a trend, people decide to wear them whether they look good in them or not, and that’s where people fall off the cliff. Skinny jeans are for guys who have the body to wear skinny jeans. If you don’t have the body, then it’s not for you and don’t do it. It becomes grotesque when you’re spilling out of it.

Leggings as pants
Lyons: I love it! As long as they’re not cheap, poorly made ones—or too tight.
Muytjens: I agree. Of course, we don’t ever talk about leggings on guys. I like it on girls, though, absolutely.

Speedos
Lyons: No! Unless you’re Michael Phelps you cannot wear a Speedo. And if you’re Michael Phelps you’d better always wear a Speedo.
Muytjens: No, absolutely not.

See below for the press release they sent out.

Fourth Quarter highlights:

– Revenues decreased 3% to $388.0 million. Store sales (Retail andFactory) decreased 3% to $252.0 million, with comparable store sales decreasing 13%. Comparable store sales increased 4% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007. Direct sales (Internet and Phone) decreased 2% to $123.0 million. Direct sales increased 11% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007.

– Gross margin decreased to 27.6% of revenues from 41.3% of revenues in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007. The decrease in gross margin is primarily due to increased markdowns and promotional selling activities.

– Operating income (loss) decreased to ($20.4 million), or (5.3%) of revenues, compared with $43.3 million, or 10.8% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007. Operating loss in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008 includes non-cash asset impairment charges of approximately $2.1 million related to under performing stores.

– Net income (loss) in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008 was ($13.5 million), or ($0.22) per share, and includes the impact of non-cash asset impairment charges of approximately $0.02 per share related to under performing stores. Net income was $25.0 million, or $0.39 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007.

Millard Drexler, J. Crew’s Chairman and CEO stated: “We are disappointed with our fourth quarter operating results. Our mission, day after day, is to adjust to this new, not fun, retail reality, while not compromising our long term strategy and integrity. We believe the actions we are taking, our focus on quality products and customer service,  along with our strong balance sheet, will position us well for when the environment eventually improves.”

Fiscal 2008 highlights:

– Revenues increased 7% to $1,428.0 million. Store sales (Retail and Factory) increased 7% to $974.3 million, with comparable store sales decreasing 4%. Comparable store sales increased 6% in fiscal 2007. Direct sales (Internet and Phone) increased 8% to $408.9 million. Direct sales increased 22% in fiscal 2007.
– Gross margin decreased to 38.9% of revenues from 44.1% of revenues in fiscal 2007. The decrease in gross margin is primarily due to increased markdowns and promotional selling activities in the fourth quarter.
– Operating income decreased 44% to $96.7 million, or 6.8% of revenues, compared to $172.5 million, or 12.9% of revenues, in fiscal 2007. Operating income in fiscal 2008 includes non-cash asset impairment charges of approximately $2.7 million related to under performing stores.
– Net income for fiscal 2008 was $54.1 million, or $0.85 per diluted share, and includes the impact of non-cash asset impairment charges of approximately $0.03 per share related to under performing stores. Net income was $97.1 million, or $1.52 per diluted share in fiscal 2007.

Balance Sheet highlights as of January 31, 2009:

– Cash and cash equivalents were $146.4 million at the end of the fourth quarter and include the impact of voluntary principal payments of debt of $25.0 million made during fiscal 2008. Cash and cash equivalents were $131.5 million at the end of fiscal 2007.

– Inventories at the end of the fourth quarter were $187.0 million, reflecting the impact of 40 net stores opened since the end of fiscal 2007. Inventory per square foot increased 7% at the end of fiscal 2008 compared to the end of fiscal 2007.

Tomorrow at 4:30 pm, J.Crew will release their 4th Quarter financial results. The broadcast will be available by clicking on the ‘Investor Relations‘ section of the Company’s website at www.jcrew.com.

I am very curious as to what they have to say. J.Crew was very hopeful about the company’s outlook at the end of the 3rd Quarter. See the post, “Results from J.Crew Q3 Conference Call” to learn more.

Today, an analyst predicted that J.Crew inventory levels would not reach a more manageable level until the end of the 2nd Quarter this year. See the article, “Ahead of the Bell: Analyst eyes J. Crew inventory.”

I wonder what J.Crew will do to reduce their inventory levels. I suggest:

• Syncing up the Retail & Direct channels so that prices are consistent
• Free shipping at any price like Neiman Marcus and Saks occasionally do
• Stepping up customer service so that all complaints are taken care of

Do you have any suggestions for J.Crew?