Bloomberg: Jenna Lyons to Exit J. Crew
Multiple things can be true. And when it comes to Jenna Lyons, the following all very well could exist in the same retail universe:
- She was one of if not the main force behind elevating the brand from *yawn* to “shut-up-and-take-my-money!” (Both the women’s and the men’s side.)
- Retail has drastically changed over the last 5-10 years. And it’s a tough nut to crack.
- 26 years is a long time to work for one company. Over a quarter of a century. That’s incredible.
- When you work in fashion, it can be very, very tough to resist getting weird. What was once exciting can over time become boring. There are plenty of fashion icons in Manhattan. There aren’t many in Peoria. That could become a problem if you lead a mass market retail chain, and need the likes of the Peorias.
Current head of women’s design, Somsack Sikhounmuong, will replace Lyons in terms of design duties and will oversee the Women’s, Men’s, and Children’s design teams.
As far as getting a read on what the men’s side is up to, specifically? Head of Menswear Frank Muytjens gave a preview of the fall 2017 collection on Instagram the other day.