Definitive of American prep yet newly reinvented, J.Crew’s revival under Olympia Gayot is less about fleeting trends and more about reshaping style into something timeless, touchable, and culturally relevant. From the perfectly poised photoshoots and a hemline that was always just a little too long, did any of our ‘it’ girls really have style if they weren’t unanimously adorned in the iconic crewneck cashmere sweater or faux-chic oversized tortoiseshell sunglasses?
So definitive that it can be spotted from the opposite side of the street, J. Crew has not found itself slouching behind a building or shielding its eyes from a flux of passerbys in the past several years; rather, it has embraced a full-on strut as its revival has arrived in a storm of intense a-line midi dresses and cropped poplin shirts.
The woman responsible for the birth of such a lifestyle is Olympia Gayot: the mystic behind the magic and the muse behind the maxi dresses; Gayot did what J. Crew failed to do in the years prior to its modern upbringing. “I love to help with the process of getting dressed and empower women to walk through their day with added confidence”, Gayot mentioned in an interview about her design principles.
And principled Gayot is. Not only did she amass over 150k followers from solely mirror selfies defined with her nonchalant poses and breezy, off-the-runway style, Gayot also worked tirelessly to ensure that J. Crew embodied what a woman can be in this world.
From sketching by hand, embracing the dynamic woman, and taking inspiration from the streets, galleries, and aura of the East Village (rather than a drab pair of shoes in the back of your wardrobe), Gayot has transformed J. Crew into something wearable rather than just bearable.
J. Crew’s rise marks much more than an amazing designer and a new pair of shoes you’ll pull out for that cocktail hour with your LinkedIn crush. It marks a new shift in trends of class, marketing dynamics, and what avidly online millennials have labelled a “recession indicator.” Could the rise of J. Crew ascend beyond just the clothes?
Looking back
The J.Crew era of the 1980s and 90s is easily comparable to what we see in Gayot’s revival. Instagram account @lostjcrew highlights the brand’s magazine features from 1983 to 1997, and as eerie as it is to see a pair of ultra-low-rise jeans on the streets, it’s even eerier to see just how intensely we are reverting back to old ways.
J.Crew, we must remind ourselves, hasn’t always been a brand for the modern working woman. What is now everyday-wear used to be a status symbol; an advertisement that you wear these clothes sailing, playing polo, or drinking a gin martini on a boat somewhere in Easthampton. J.Crew defined the culture of prep. Today, ‘prep’ is less untouchable and far more overdone, with a commodification of aesthetics such as ‘old money’ and ‘coastal granddaughter’ reclaiming what used to be something reserved for the country club.
The accessibility of these styles could’ve forced brands such as J.Crew into decline, yet it has made it even easier for Gayot to play into J.Crew’s status as ‘touchable’ luxury. There is nothing that says ‘old money’ like making clothes that look old and vintage, like an item pulled out of your great-grandmother’s sweater chest. Gayot’s array of cable knit sweaters and boatneck t-shirts set themselves an entire generation of their own. When people are able to access what used to be out of reach in their lifestyle, something shifts in social culture and in society as a whole. Yet, as these trends reach a lower vantage point and higher popularity, the division between accessible fashion and designer couture slowly dissolves.
What goes up, always comes down
What becomes even more interesting is how the rise of such a well-known brand bleeds onto the runways of haute couture. And as much as we can sit here and speculate about what designers feel with each piece, the marketing is clear. There is increasing skepticism about the relevance and ethics of high fashion brought upon by a radically divisive modern political atmosphere; what makes sense is to appeal the the ‘normal person,’ rather than the backstage at the Met or front row at the Opera type.
“[High fashion brands] are beginning to make clothes”, Maggie Bullock (author of The Kingdom of Prep: The Inside Rise and (Near) Fall of J.Crew) observed on the “new normal” of luxury hitting the runways that liken back to a pre-recession era of J.Crew in the 90s. Think Miu Miu debuting polos and blouson jackets, or a Dior summer 2026 collection that felt like looking at an average passerby down Market Street.
Fashion is no longer seen as something that needs to be unreachable; rather, J.Crew has provided a gateway to timeless fashion that the consumer considers nostalgic, classy, and down-to-earth. ‘Prep’ redefines itself, and J. Crew ensures that both emotional and physical comfort matter much more than an aesthetic spotted every other swipe on an Instagram feed.
Above it all
“Young people or urban professionals are worrying about their own status, and going back to these conservative classics is a way to project status when they’re insecure about whether they actually have it” trend forecaster Sean Monahan elaborates.
When the words “preppy style moodboard” are plastered on the cover of another Pinterest slideshow, we are reminded that J.Crew will always be the classic reminder of something of heart and intention that exists at the core of it all. Style parallels culture, and though it is merely a brand, J.Crew defines a lifestyle to many people. And truly, a revival of such a brand would not even be possible without a designer who sees just why it is so important in the first place. To Gayot , “[There is] an infinite respect for women; [whose] dynamic lives are truly incredible. There is a process of creatively expressing one’s self through clothing.” And as we acknowledge a brand that creates clothes that women are simply expected to live in, we have none other to thank than J.Crew.