You may have thought that Michelle Obama put J. Crew on the map, but without Jenna Lyons this would never have happened. After so many years of watching executive egos and teams being arbiters of a company's aesthetic brand presentation, I am reminded of Barbara D'Arcy's heyday at Bloomingdale's when it was the go-to place for home furnishings trends because her vision permeated the store. Admittedly, I haven't been in the flagship store in years but my last memory is of all the aggressive "spritz" girls on the cosmetic floor. I am certainly not the only person that no longer sees Bloomingdales as THE go-to place for home related products.
A recent story about Jenna Lyons in the LA Times explains clearly why Michelle Obama selected J. Crew fashions in the first place. She is the arbiter of all aesthetics at J. Crew. Besides designing the clothes - according to the article, "She also oversees the catalog, website and store design." Jenna is the face of the clean, fresh, casual and fun new J. Crew that captures our times perfectly. It is an undated traditional look that now makes even the ever-popular "Ralph Lauren look" appear to be dated. Not to mention the direct competitors of J. Crew, some of whom can't even get basic design principles such as proportion right. I am often tempted to speak up, but the memory of many years in corporations reminds me that most executives' egos get in the way of facing fact.
The aesthetic gurus that I have encountered in my career have ALWAYS had strong personalities, so few corporate management types have the stomach for them. Those that do are always rewarded at the bottom line. The right on-trend vision for the times that carries from product development to presentation will always win out over a team's mishagas and it takes a superior executive to recognize that.
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