A new J Crew Men’s store just opened on the second floor of the Time Warner Center, and the place exudes masculinity.
The brown, olive and grey color motif, the massive metal construction implements arrayed throughout the window display, the posters with thick block letters, the confident mannequin standing in the front with his collar popped, staring out at the women in the Sephora beauty store across the way, they all scream “I have the secondary sex characteristics of a male!”
Is it bad that the store is so self-conscious about it’s male-ness, in an era when gender seems less and less important? It definitely stood out, but I didn’t mind it. The interior actually reminds me of the old old Banana Republic, when it used to feel like a hangout for adventurers and before it became just another high-end clothing store. The clothes at the J Crew store are attractive, and they have a vintage feel — many are actually from third-party designers, not the usual J. Crew stuff. That also means it’s quite a bit more expensive. The brown sweater below costs $288, for instance.
No worries, just like the Hugo Boss shop downstairs I’m happy to browse, fondle the leather, the tweed, the cotton, and hope that someone thinks of me come Hanukkah-time.
Anyone?
