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Mickey Drexler

Thursday October 20th, 2011

What Do You Wear to a Gay Wedding? Jenna Lyons Talks Outfitting Same Sex Couples at J. Crew; Mickey Drexler Explains Why He Wants Them in the Catalog

What Do You Wear to a Gay Wedding? Jenna Lyons Talks Outfitting Same Sex Couples at J. Crew; Mickey Drexler Explains Why He Wants Them in the Catalog

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When the gay marriage bill was passed in New York, we couldn’t help but wonder what impact that might have on the New York-centric fashion industry and apparently neither could Cathy Horyn. In the Times today, she writes about stylish gay couples heading down the aisle and the outfits they have to choose from.

We have been seeing some unconventional wedding attire during bridal fashion week, and there are pieces that could work well for a lesbian wedding. See: simpler options like the pants suit, and tea length dresses that could counter a partner wearing a longer more traditional dress. According to Horyn, same-sex couples are a growing market that designers and retailers will be catering to. And J. Crew is happy to be one of those retailers.

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Published at 10:09 AM

Thursday August 25th, 2011

Madewell To Launch a Catalog! Creative Director Kin Ying Lee On How It Will be Different from J.Crew’s and the Evolution of the Brand
Shopping

Madewell To Launch a Catalog! Creative Director Kin Ying Lee On How It Will be Different from J.Crew’s and the Evolution of the Brand

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We’ve never been shy about our unabashed love for Madewell–so we were pretty psyched to hear that the brand is putting out a catalog, set to hit stores on August 27. Madewell’s big sis J.Crew does a catalog like none other, so we were pretty confident Madewell would do a bang-up job with theirs. And they did.

We got a first look at the brand’s inaugural catalog a few weeks ago on Madewell’s road trip to Montauk where Madewell’s creative director Kin Ying Lee and J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler were both on hand to talk about the brand to a handful of editors. Issue #1 of Madewell’s catalog looks more like an expensive indie fashion mag–it’s oversized (10×13″ on matte broadsheet) and mixes editorial features with Madewell designers and brand “insiders” (think Alexa Chung) with beautiful images of the fall collection. The catalog will be quarterly, with the next issue set to drop for Holiday 2011.

We got a chance to talk with Kin, a calm counter to Mickey’s high energy, about Madewell’s evolution, her fall favorites, and how Madewell’s mag will set itself apart from imposing big sis J.Crew.

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Published at 2:30 PM

Thursday August 18th, 2011

10 Things We Learned About Jenna Lyons From Her New York Magazine Profile

10 Things We Learned About Jenna Lyons From Her New York Magazine Profile

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New York magazine’s fall fashion issue features a lengthy profile on J. Crew president, Jenna Lyons.

When I started reading it I thought I couldn’t admire Lyons any more than I already do – she worked her way up in a national company and revitalized J. Crew from a fuddy-duddy lady brand into the coolest thing for ladies of all ages. But lo and behold, there were a slew of facts about the California native that even the most obsessed Lyons follower wouldn’t have known.

So click through to find out more about Jenna Lyons. (Bonus fact: Her workspace is cooler than yours… and ours too.)

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Published at 2:16 PM

Wednesday July 13th, 2011

Quote of the Day: Mickey Drexler’s Key to Success
Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day: Mickey Drexler’s Key to Success

“I think the key to success is vision that adjusts on the way, but doesn’t at all falter. It’s about not compromising and following your gut to a certain degree, based on knowledge, instinct, etc. And not listing to the naysayers…. You develop strength through adversity. You have to keep moving towards your goal through huge obstacles. It’s not easy. Especially a business like this where there are so many moving parts. You have to build a good team and know who’s good and not good and you have to keep raising the bar on your life. For me it’s always, ‘I have to get up and do a little better today and go to work to learn.’”

Another reason we idolize Mickey Drexler, via Refinery29.

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Published at 2:00 PM

Friday April 22nd, 2011

Wednesday April 13th, 2011

J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler Suggests Jenna Lyons as Possible Successor

J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler Suggests Jenna Lyons as Possible Successor

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J.Crew president and creative director Jenna Lyons might be under attack by the right wing nut jobs at Fox for letting her son paint his toes pink, but her boss Mickey Drexler thinks she could be the right person to succeed him when he steps down.

J. Crew Chairman and CEO Mickey Drexler gave his first interview since taking J. Crew private to Bloomberg’s For the Record program, hosted by Margaret Brennan. In it, Drexler dishes on everything from the decision to take J.Crew private, expanding internationally, and Jenna Lyons. The full interview airs this weekend but here are the highlights, courtesy Bloombergy TV’s In Business with Margaret Brennan:

On Jenna Lyons as his possible successor, and his succession plan:

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Published at 9:06 AM

Tuesday March 1st, 2011

J.Crew’s Shareholders Approve $3 Billion Buyout
The Business

J.Crew’s Shareholders Approve $3 Billion Buyout

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After months of struggle, J.Crew’s public shareholders succumbed to CEO Mickey Drexler’s offer, allowing the company to be taken private by TPG Capital and Leonard Green for $43.50 a share, or about $3 billion. They deal will close by March 7, according to Bloomberg.

That means J.Crew will no longer be a public company. You won’t be able to buy J.Crew stock, and the information that the retailer reveals about its financials will be less detailed, at least until its ready to go public again.

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Published at 11:54 AM

Tuesday February 8th, 2011

Fashionista 50: The Most Influential People in New York Fashion

Fashionista 50: The Most Influential People in New York Fashion

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How do you measure influence?

Is it through website hits? Or sales? Through ad dollars? Or the number of mass retailers who’ve knocked off your work?

The answer is all of the above and none of the above. Influence is an intangible thing that just happens when you know your craft and you work hard at it.

To determine who belongs in the Fashionista 50–our list of the most influential people working in New York fashion–we used our own knowledge of the industry, combined with advice from industry sources. We also considered each candidate’s consumer reach–through sales, media, etc.

To be considered, candidates had to live and work in New York for most of the year.

What’s Fashionista’s definition of influential? It describes people who are shaping the direction of the New York fashion industry, both aesthetically and in terms of how the business works.

You’ll find the entire Fashionista 50 list after the jump. Click on the person’s name to read a full bio. And if you really want to click through the whole slideshow, you can do so here.

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Published at 12:01 AM

Tuesday January 11th, 2011

We Hung Out With Sir Philip Green, Andrew Rosen, and Several Other Fashion Big Shots Last Night
The Business

We Hung Out With Sir Philip Green, Andrew Rosen, and Several Other Fashion Big Shots Last Night

by Jessica Gold

Topshop’s Sir Philip Green. Theory honcho Andrew Rosen. Designer Kenneth Cole. HSN CEO Mindy Grossman. Put them in a room with 300 other top retail CEOs and execs and what do you get? The Financo Forum, held last night at the Harmonie Club.

The event, organized annually by Financo (the top fashion/retail investment bank), is a hot ticket for industry insiders. The lively panel discussion and networking session gives attendees the rare chance to collectively review the state of the retail industry, to share insights and to socialize with their elite peers.

The forum’s focus this year was on all things digital. Although e-commerce and social media hardly seem to be new topics, they’re something many retailers are still trying to learn more about. Financo Chairman Gilbert Harrison explained that the goal was to “help navigate the new world, and to ultimately drive sales and profits.” The panel included Ben Fischman, CEO of Rue La La, Chip Wilson, Founder/Chief Innovation and Branding Officer of Lululemon Athletica, Stephen Zangre of Facebook and Dan Schock of Google, and was moderated by CNBC anchor Nicole Lapin.

A few key takeaways:

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Published at 4:42 PM

Tuesday November 23rd, 2010

J.Crew Sold for $3 Billion
The Business

J.Crew Sold for $3 Billion

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J.Crew will be acquired by two investment firms for $3 billion, according to a document released moments ago by the preppy-chic retailer. (We first reported on this Monday night–click here for some background.)

This will allow CEO Mickey Drexler and co. to fix what’s wrong with the business–and build on what’s right–without having to deal with public shareholders.

“It is a clear endorsement of J.Crew and of the hard work and commitment of each and every one of our associates,” Drexler said of the agreement. “As I have always said, we are in this for the long term and we do what we do day in and day out so we can deliver the best possible products to our customers.”

We think, overall, this is a risky-but-smart move. Retail is a cyclical business–you just simply cannot be on top forever. Even though going private often means gaining debt, it also means being able to avoid a black hole. (See: Gap.)

Good luck to Mickey and the J.Crew team. (PS, We love Madewell and want more of it. Please.)

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Published at 11:47 AM

Monday November 22nd, 2010

Mickey Drexler in Talks to Take J.Crew Private
The Business

Mickey Drexler in Talks to Take J.Crew Private

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J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler is working with two investment firms to take the company private, according to the New York Times‘ blog DealBook.

This means that if the deal does indeed go through, J.Crew will be removed from the stock market and all public shareholders will be bought out.

Generally, with buyouts like this, the idea is to fix the business out of public scrutiny. And eventually either sell it to someone else or take it public again.

Why might J.Crew want to do this if it’s thought as the leading specialty retailer in the US, if not the world? We shop there, you shop there–who doesn’t think it’s a brilliant store?

Well, despite a transformation in recent years, thanks to Drexler and protege Jenna Lyons, sales have been slower in 2010, dropping for the last two fiscal quarters. Separately, we’ve heard from sources within the company that while men’s sales have continued to rise at a rapid pace, women’s have been stunted as of late.

What does this mean for your shopping experience? Probably not much.

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Published at 10:29 PM