J. Crew shines a spotlight on accessories
Looks like we'll have more accessories to lust after at J.Crew as they unveil their extended assortment and a new accessories-only catalog this Friday.
The assortment also includes the new J.Crew fine jewelry collection. These pieces are a bit more formal (and expensive) than the costume jewelry line.
To get an idea of the prices, a 10-karat gold boule ring with pearl is $495 and a ribbon-tied long pearl necklace is $200.
"This is our first foray into fine jewelry," Creative Director Jenna Lyons Mazeau told WWD. "We want to be approachable."
The new variety of bags, shoes, and jewelry is already available on J.Crew.com.
For more on the bags and shoes, keep reading.
J. Crew's shoes have been gaining popularity for years now, and the brand already offers a wide assortment.
"Our shoes are made in Italy and snakeskin is rare," Lyons said. "It's speaking to a slightly more sophisticated customer."
As for the bags, the company is looking to ramp up this category. They're hoping to expand on the popularity of their Uptown tote and adding precious skins for fall.
The bags will be expensive, but not prohibitively so.
"Can a handbag be $700 or $800? Sure," Lyons said. "But do we want to get to $1,200? We want to win people's trust with the quality of the goods without doing it big and expensive."
Which probably means if all goes well, you can expect them to hit the $1,200 range in the next 5 years.