Kate Middleton and Prince William Wearing J. Crew In Mock-up GIF
As J.Crew arrives in British shores, Bloomberg Businessweek imagines the United Kingdom's most loved royals wearing America's unofficial uniform.
For its Dec. 2-8 issue, the weekly business publication features Prince William and his spouse Kate Middleton "wearing" J.Crew outfits and posing as catalog models. Meanwhile, the accompanying cover story "The J.Crew Invasion," which talks about the American apparel brand's arrival in the UK, also features the GIF version of the said cover photo.
Using a photo-editing software, the heads of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are combined with the bodies of J.Crew models which are similar to the royal couple. The finished product was as if the couple are indeed wearing J.Crew.
Last Nov. 6, J.Crew opened its doors to its British customers with its first major store in Regent Street. The apparel brand threw a party to celebrate its first day in London attended by CEO Millard "Mickey" Drexler and Creative Director and President Jenna Lyons.
Drexler says of the company's invasion to London, "London was an easy decision - it's a place where people understand and respect the integrity of great style and great design. We share this appreciation and are excited to introduce J.Crew to more customers throughout the UK."
In conceptualizing their creative strategy in the UK, Lyons considered going for a more British direction 'for maybe five seconds. However, they finally decided to stick with its signature Americana aesthetic.
"We have a point of view," she said. "We felt good about exporting what we were currently doing."
Most American stores such as J.Crew and others before them such as Gap, Victoria's Secret and Urban Outfitters choose London as their jump-off point for Europe because they see it as a gateway to the European continent. Also, according to property expert James Ebel, the United Kingdom "is a sophisticated retail market, while London is at the centre of the worldwide fashion scene."