It’s an announcement that no one saw coming—Jenna Lyons, chief design officer, is leaving J. Crew after 26 years.
Lyons practically has become synonymous with the specialty retailer, but according to the Business of Fashion, she leaves J. Crew with mutual respect and plans to do other things.
“It has been beyond my wildest dreams to work with such an amazing team of people at such an incredible brand and alongside Mickey [Millard Drexler, J. Crew’s chief executive]—one of retail’s most talented visionaries,” Lyons said in a statement, according to the Business of Fashion. “I am excited about the next chapter for J.Crew, as well as the opportunity for other creative leaders within the organization to step up and take on new responsibilities. Having spent the better part of my life with J.Crew, I feel an immense pride and love for everyone at the company.”
J. Crew’s replacement plan for Lyons will be promoting current women’s head of design Somsack Sikhounmuong to chief design officer. The departments that reported to Lyons will now report to Drexler.
“Somsack and our design teams have a deep understanding of the aesthetic and style our customers rely on us to deliver, with a proven track record of driving creative vision in line with our brand DNA,” Drexler said. “We are excited to extend Somsack’s vision across all design categories and look forward to the team’s contributions. As always, delivering the very best product, value and brand experience across channels is our top priority.”
Thanks to Lyons, J. Crew has transcended into a major fashion brand that inspires runway trends and even promotional apparel. We’ll be keeping a close watch on the style evolutions that result from Lyons’ departure.
