Chris Benz was at JCrew during its glory days–can he bring them back?
Perhaps because he’s an OG J.Crew kid, Benz isn’t planning to overhaul the creative. Another designer might have been tempted to scrap everything and start over, but Benz seems confident that women still want that “slouchy attitude” and “classics with a twist” J.Crew is so known for. If you look closely at the current selection , the J.Crew spirit is still there, sort of: The pattern mash-ups, the artful layering, the bold colors, the coral-lipsticked models.
. “I suggested we take La Ligne’s classic shirt that everyone loves and tie-dye it,” he says. “I’ve tried to do as many little things as possible [so far].”He’s re-embracing J.Crew’s high-low, eclectic signatures. By the time he was on the payroll in 2005, the catalogue model had largely moved online. “It was an interesting and eye-opening time to be a part of a brand that was educating a customer on how to wear, like, a sequined cardigan for day, and that it was okay to wear pink chinos year-round,” he continues. “That sense of freedom with style was really my takeaway, even when I left in 2006 to launch my own brand. As we look forward, I’m working towards [reviving] that experience.
Even as Benz figures that out, Fashion Week has evolved and no longer feels necessary for J.Crew. He’s also designing in a way that runs contrary to the flashy, easy-to-Instagram pieces designers put on the runway: He’s thinking about how a piece will look when you zoom in. “I’m hoping customers will discover that we’ve worked really hard to add special little details, even to the most simple styles,” he says.
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