J.Crew is classic. Their style: simple yet elegant. They represent many characteristics women should embrace: clean lines, a balance between colors and textures, as well as a willingness to play a little. Did they invent the half-tucked shirt? For us, J.Crew provided a palette we wanted to keep dipping our brush in. And paint we did! Then, in 2013, things changed.
The J.Crew catalog, their primary source of advertising, left us both confused and wanting. They had opted for eccentricity and imbalance: looks that didn’t coincide with what we’d admired and come to love. No pages were dog-eared by us, we laid our brushes down.
While many voiced their concerns through social media outlets, we quietly mourned. After all, we had framed a note from their CEO Mickey Drexler. It was personal for us. Years before, we’d written to him about how much we loved J.Crew. We even sent photos of us on their catalogue, and he actually replied. We didn’t have the heart to write and say things had changed.
During an interview on Bloomberg in 2011, Mickey Drexler - CEO of J.Crew - said he “always” responds to his messages “because it’s respect” and that if you are a customer with a comment to make, “try email.” Supporting this statement, he reached out to a customer personally once he learned how she felt towards J.Crew’s styling transition to understand why she emailed the company the following message: “’I am so disheartened and disappointed that you are leaving your core values and styling and abandoning your loyal customers’” (2). After listening to her opinion, he replied, “’We are on it for sure’” and, “’I hope you see a difference this fall’” (2).
Someone else had found the words we wanted too, and Mr. Drexler had replied in true “Drexler” style. We celebrated and anxiously awaited delivery of the J.Crew catalog.
When it finally arrived, it was new yet familiar: its roots apparent. By the time we’d finishing enjoying, most of it pages were dog-eared, and we had picked up our brushes again! Mr. Drexler, true to his interview: “I listen to the customers first,” had listened! Few companies have a CEO so closely associated with their brand, so much a part of the fabric of this retail giant. We sympathize with whomever will succeed him whenever that sad day arrives.
J.Crew has returned to its roots, and we’ve dusted off our framed note from Mickey Drexler. Go ahead pick a store or go on line for a visit!
Works Cited
1)“Bloomberg Spotlight: Mickey Drexler.” Bloomberg TV. 19 April 2011. Bloomberg. Web. 22 December 2013.
2)“How to Get J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler on the Phone.” Forbes. 24 July 2013. Forbes. Web. 22 December 2013.