We all love J.Crew. It’s the brand that has come to push the boundaries of acceptable work attire (neon + power suit? Yes please) and they’re the clothes we love hanging in for weekend brunches. It’s also the only catalog most of us still riffle through! Now that Jenna’s a common household name (well… to us), heres a few fun facts you probably didn’t know about the brand we love.
1. The brand we now know as J.Crew was incorporated in 1947 as Popular Merchandise, Inc by Mitchell Cinader and Saul Charles. Popular Merchandise, Inc offered a women’s clothing line called Popular Club Plan which was sold via at-home demonstrations.
2. With the catalog boom of the 80′s Popular Club Plan saw the opportunity to take their sales to the next level. They released their first catalog in 1983.
3. In 1989, Popular Merchandise, Inc. changed the company name to J.Crew and in 1998 they sold Popular Club Plan, their first membership-based catalog line, to Fingerhut Companies for for $42 million.
4. Feel like you can’t get enough J.Crew in your mailbox? It’s hard to believe that each year the company issues 24 editions of the J. Crew catalog, distributing more than 80 million copies!!! WOE!
5. J.Crew now operates more than 333 locations and its all thanks to a paper crisis! In 1994 there was an increase in postal rates + a sharp 40 percent increase in paper costs. J.Crew realized their catalog business was quite vulnerable and brought in a life line. They recruited David DeMattei from Banana Republic to help open a dozen new stores in one year. Voila!
I also appreciate their efforts towards social responsibility.
Today, J.Crew is the shop with store fronts that draw us in with magnetic force. They keep us addicted with fresh fabrics, bright colors and bold prints and constant eye candy. Not to mention, we ALL still love receiving their catalog, right!? Mailbox treat every time.
Here’s a few things from the J.Crew line over at Net-a-Porter that Im drooling over right now. And I love that these pieces can be mixed and matched! That jumpsuit is hands down my new obsession!! Must. Have.
2. Strapless printed silk jumpsuit
4. Café polka-dot stretch-cotton Capri pants
5. Printed cotton-twill shorts (Also love these High-waisted printed shorts
6. Toothpick cropped mid-rise skinny jeans (Also in mint and with a side ankle zipper, what what!!! )
Great post!! I worked at J.Crew for a few months and never even knew all of those facts! I need to hop over to J.Crew and snag those polka dot cafe capris.
Nice coverage of the company! I like to know behind the cover tidbits. Dying for a great jumpsuit like that.
Wow I never knew new half of this! I knew they only had a catalog for a while because I used to shop from it in middle school- I believe my first Jcrew purchase was in 1995 with my babysitting money and I’ve been a loyal fan ever since!