J.Crew walks down the aisle

DSN Retailing Today, Feb 28, 2005 by Emily Scardino

A new initiative from J.Crew gives new meaning to the term "mail-order bride." Now, in addition to ordering the bikini and flip-flops for the honeymoon, customers can order their wedding dresses as well via the company's catalog or Web site.

Tested last year, the limited selection expanded dramatically at the beginning of this February. Prices are at the low to moderate end of the spectrum, with the Sophia long silk V-neck at $260, the new Madelyn spaghetti strap gown at $425, and the strapless Vivian topping out at $550. Aside from these formal, floor-length ivory dresses, there are also tea-length versions available in a variety of colors for bridesmaids.

J.Crew is taking an aggressive stance toward its innovative business move, positioning a link to its "wedding and dress-up" shop on its home page. Customers can even call a toll-free number to speak with a J.Crew special occasion coordinator, who will help order dresses and accessories for an entire bridal party--calling each member individually. The company also introduced wedding-appropriate footwear, including silk slingbacks at $138 and $68 velvet thong sandals for the beach (or heel-averse) bride.

It will be interesting to see if brand-loyal customers make J.Crew a one-stop shop for their bridal attire--customers who do not want to spend a fortune on their dresses and have more of an affinity for J.Crew than other low-cost resources such as David's Bridal. The latter specialist and its competitors have had a lock on this market for some time; perhaps J.Crew's move will inspire other retailers such as Banana Republic--which already does a significant business in dressy attire--to offer bridal items as well. Perhaps movers and shakers like Target will follow J.Crew down the aisle.