J. Crew Wants to Be Overpriced

Aug 14, 2007 @ 4:58pm

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There's no shortage of luxury labels diffusing:

McQ, See by Chloe, Libertine for Target, Vera Wang at Kohl's...

But slowly we're seeing mass labels who want to trade up.

Forever 21 announced their prestige line this spring, but you weren't crazy about it - probably because the clothes were awful.

H&M also has a luxe line that's only available in Europe.

Now J. Crew gets on board, announcing their own upmarket label, called J. Crew Collection. Prices range from $225 (for a babydoll dress) to over $1000 (for an evening gown). The clothes will be sold in a separate store on the Upper East Side, though you can already buy a few pieces online (but they're not marked J. Crew Collection).

If any mass brand can pull this off, we think it might be J. Crew - their affluent image and dabbles in bridal wear, suiting, and cashmere already give the label luxe touches.

Still, we have to ask what every suburban mom has already wondered:

Isn't J.Crew too expensive already?

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posted in News tags Chloe, Libertine, Vera Wang

Comments

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posted by guest

Aug 14, 2007 5:24PM

h&m has some luxe things available in the us afaik. i remember there being a mini-line of favorite items from h&m honchos (a real leather purse, cashmere, etc)

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posted by hannah

Aug 14, 2007 5:33PM

Blah. Don't start charging more, J. Crew.

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posted by Summer

Aug 14, 2007 5:40PM

J Crew has had Collection out for at least a year now. I'd complain, but the pieces are really well made - and I don't mind paying for quality, you know? (Unlike my $880 See by Chloe trench that lost three buttons in one day...) Mickey is really stepping up the game - their basics are pretty well priced (jeans, tees, cashmere, etc), their jewelry has been adorable and fun, and now their Collection pieces are worthy of, well, collecting.

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posted by daniela

Aug 14, 2007 6:48PM

YES! Thank you. I have to say, I have always been a j crew girl. But lately, what is with the exorbitant pricing? I can't even bear to look at the catalogue should I find somethign I want, it's way out of my range (which, I have to say isn't THAT frugal). And these aren't so called 'investment' pieces either- simply basics. When is someone going to develop a line of professional (read: not slutty) line of work clothes that aren't too boring or overpriced? I'll be first in line!

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posted by Jac

Aug 14, 2007 7:52PM

I sympathize Daniela. I'm interning right now (at a company, not in fashion) and can get away with dressing a bit cheaply, but I know that in a few months I'll be working full time and paying off loans and I wont be able to afford expensive work clothes just yet. Does anyone remember the store Rampage (NOT the brand)? I always found decently prices work clothes there but it gave way recently to forever 21.

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posted by Faran

Aug 14, 2007 7:59PM

Jac, Club Monaco and Anthropologie have sales all the time; it's great work wear. Banana Republic can be good, too.

But when I was in college, I had this incredible tweed miniskirt from Rampage that I wore with faded rock tees to class; it was amazing.

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posted by Melissa

Aug 14, 2007 8:41PM

gosh yes! but they have a fun pair of heels that i would kill for!

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posted by kim

Aug 14, 2007 10:53PM

i was wondering what happened to rampage stores. there was one in valley fair (ca) that had the coolest stuff...but i digress...

for certain things, i think j.crew has definitely gotten expensive. i remember when their jeans were under $70, now they're all at least $88. i always thought of j.crew as a better version of the gap, not necessarily a higher priced gap.

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posted by Emily

Aug 14, 2007 11:50PM

yes i totally agree! j crew has been getting ridiculous (even with their regular line) for a year or two now. i felt like no one noticed!

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posted by mkm

Aug 15, 2007 9:47AM

this is so funny. my friends and i were just talking about how expensive (for what it is) j. crew has been getting.
but i agree w/ summer, it lasts forever, so what's 10 or 20 more dollars over a few years? it's not like cords are going to go out of style - at least not for me.

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posted by Hector

Aug 15, 2007 10:43AM

And not just J. Crew, friends. I went to the BR website the other day and noticed their whole "Monogram" collection. I'm sorry, but no. Their non-Monogram stuff is already overpriced. And boring.

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posted by Geneva

Aug 15, 2007 1:09PM

I don't know. I agree that it's getting really mad pricy at J Crew, but their stuff is way better made than the Gap or BR -- and cuter, too, I have to say. But I've always been a sort of preppy retro J Crew girl anyway.

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posted by Ani

Aug 16, 2007 12:11AM

Some of their collection pieces are not bland and worth it if you can wait for the piece to go on sale. Last fall they had a coat made out of Guanaco and their shearling coats were really lush. I'm glad they are opening a "collection" store since those items are catalog/internet only. For those in NYC they can at least see those items before deciding if you want to buy it or not. Hopefully they open more collection stores across the country.

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posted by Tatum

Aug 18, 2007 5:02PM

J.Crew isn't marketed to the average suburban mom. They're marketed to moms with clout. Mommys with moola. My mum loves J.Crew.

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posted by guest

Aug 21, 2007 1:46AM

Everything I own by J. Crew is delightfully durable, so I am usually willing to shell out a few extra bucks for their stuff. College students such as myself don't usually go near the higher-end stuff, though (unless, of course, it is to drool on it.) Their new fall colors are very nice. Recently I spotted tanks for only $4.99 apiece but was dismayed that they were only in Large and XL.

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