I love the scene in the Sound of Music when Maria decides to make proper clothes for the Von Trapp family children by using the curtains from her bedroom. It was a practical decision and one that I understand well as a parent who dresses her children somewhat similarly to the Von Trapp’s. I would describe my style as “solid, upscale and minimalist”, but since having kids I am surrounded by floral prints by fabric brand Liberty of London. They brighten my mood (and hide most stains).
The correlation between curtains and clothes is not lost on J. Crew, as this summer J. Crew collaborates with two fabric brands for its In Good Company range. J. Crew has had a long time partnership with Liberty of London. The collection includes children’s wear, shoes, swim, shirts and now women’s dresses and the cutest pajamas that sadly sold out before I could grab a set in my size.
In a slightly different take on the floral trend, J. Crew collaborates this summer with classic French fabric brand Pierre Frey. The line is based on Pierre Frey’s gorgeous iconic Alexandrie print. The line reminds me of one of my favorite rising fashion labels Zimmerman (or rather Zimmerman prints remind me of Alexandrie by Pierre Frey), but with simpler shapes and a fraction of the price.
J. Crew just gets it. I’ve read so much about their business struggles, and the loss of creative director Jenna Lyons which means that change is abound for this brand. That said, no other specialty retailer does it quite the way that J. Crew collaborates. As a master curator and a place for new brand discovery, I hope J.Crew does more exclusives to keep us coming back in store .