JCrew now in a race to the bottom

[kongmw]

https://putthison.com/a-new-j-crew-i...going-to-suck/

Saw this on PTO as well as r/MFA. Considering the amount of play Jcrew gets around here, thought it might be relevant to a lot of us. Granted, a lot of the changes may be specifically to women's side of things but it's probably a safe bet to say that mens stuff will follow suit.

Another old post of interest something an alleged Jcrew employee had posted and subsequently deleted on r/MFA, detailing some changes (more specifically concerning menswear) coming to Jcrew

https://www.removeddit.com/r/malefas...u4&sh=5844e624

Some interesting claims about changes to suiting products.

[carlitos]

Bummer. I just went to one of he outlet stores yesterday and noticed the cheaper Ts and the mercantile line. Selvedge denim was like $50 iirc, and it didn’t strike me as the highest quality.

[Hebrew Barrister]

Bummer. I just went to one of he outlet stores yesterday and noticed the cheaper Ts and the mercantile line. Selvedge denim was like $50 iirc, and it didn’t strike me as the highest quality.

$50 is the mercantile (ie. low end line) selvedge they sell. The regular line of selvedge is much more expensive.

This is why this thread gives me pause. They are already down at the GAP / target in house brand level with the mercantile and JCF lines.

If this means they get rid of their higher quality lines, that's sad. At the moment, if you wait for a sale (and they always have a sale), they are price and quality competitive with the better good quality but value minded online or mainly online retailers, like suitsupply, s&m, etc, except imo they tend to get more correct - like higher arm holes and lower button stances in suit jackets, sport coats, and blazers, making sure their dress shirts look proportional under their jackets/sport coats/blazers, etc.

I think a lot of their problem is having a ton of stores in what are now second class (or lower) malls. Get rid of those.

The idea of selling their clothes in other stores is a good one. Why not.

[evanparker]

i just read this too. so horrible!

[DocDave]

Well that was a sad way to start my day.

[evanparker]

So what does this mean in a bigger context guys?

I feel like 2012 was the tip top of my favorite office trad and jcrew's apogee. I got into dressing like a reasonably sharp and professional young man right around then, but Ive been thinking it's already going away for a little while now. After the single most influential advocate of reasonably sharp and professional dress, JCREW cuts out, it leaves me to seriously wonder where this is all headed.


is dressing sharply and maturely as 20-30 year old now dead? has workwear taken over casual dress? is business casual dead??



What is next?? are we all going to be required to buy these sweat pants?!??? I BLAME YOU SWEATPANTS

[Pepetito]

So what does this mean in a bigger context guys?

I feel like 2012 was the tip top of my favorite office trad and jcrew's apogee. I got into dressing like a reasonably sharp and professional young man right around then, but Ive been thinking it's already going away for a little while now. After the single most influential advocate of reasonably sharp and professional dress, JCREW cuts out, it leaves me to seriously wonder where this is all headed.


is dressing sharply and maturely as 20-30 year old now dead? has workwear taken over casual dress? is business casual dead??



What is next?? are we all going to be required to buy these sweat pants?!??? I BLAME YOU SWEATPANTS

None of the above.

[Hebrew Barrister]

If Banana Republic falls too, sigh.

The only silver lining is that JCF keeps the cuts and styles of regular JC, so maybe we end up with an improved version of the gap?

[lax101]

If Banana Republic falls too, sigh.

The only silver lining is that JCF keeps the cuts and styles of regular JC, so maybe we end up with an improved version of the gap?

I think J. Crew's goal is to drop prices (and quality) down in the neighborhood of Banana Republic (once you factor in BR's perpetual 40% "sales"), so I wouldn't be propping up BR as a remaining bastion of quality.

[Hebrew Barrister]

I'm not holding up either as big quality. I think JCrew is on par with places like suit supply and spier and mackay.

I was referring more to how they modernize classic stuff without ruining it. I tend to like their take on classic stuff, and both JCrew and Banana Republic seem to approach it the same way.

[DocDave]

So what does this mean in a bigger context guys?

I suspect it will mean different things in different parts of the world. HOWEVER where I live there are way WAY more people dressed casually - I'd say sloppily to be honest - than dressing sharply.

IMHO there is an overall decline in the art of dressing well. Society as a whole seems to be sliding further and further down the less casual the better. I look at old black and white photos of people attending hockey games. They were all men dressed in suits and wearing hats. Now when I see hockey on TV there are people in ripped up pants, crop top team jerseys, etc.

In a bigger context, I'd say that yes it is a race to the bottom and JC is just getting on board with the (sad) trend.

[whereismurder]

I have yet to see any of the new clothes, so I will wait until then.

[mochi123]

Oh that is a bummer, who is going to fill in the gap of "premium for a mall brand" then? As much as I love BR, my understanding was that BR is just a step below JC in terms of price and quality.

[3piece]

H&M just opened up a new store in its own huge building in my area. Fast fashion is in!

[evanparker]

H&M just opened up a new store in its own huge building in my area. Fast fashion is in!

eww! :-D