Jack Wills in America

jackwills.com

Recently I was walking down Main St. in Westport, CT on one of those aimless shopping excursions just to get out of the house, when I noticed a new addition to the variety of familiar shops lining the street.  The sign above the door read "Jack Wills University Outfitters."  Somewhat intrigued, I walked past admiring the preppy fall outfits featured on the mannequins in the display window.  I decided to venture inside and browse the merchandise...


I was greeted by a girl in a pleasant floral sundress and encouraged to look around the tiny retail space.  The selection somewhat puzzled and intrigued me - amidst tee shirts and hoodies with branding and logos galore (à la Abercrombie & Fitch) were iconic British heritage garments.  What particularly caught my eye was a pair of hand made Oxford Brogues amidst an array of vintage trophies.  Also of note were the wool blazers in collaboration with the venerable Fox Brothers & Co., purveyors of "the finest handmade woolen cloth in the world" and founded in 1772.  The traditional British clothier Cordings of London also collaborated on some of the pants and jackets, which I was impressed by.  Check out this cool production video at the historic NPS shoe factory making the brogues...




I began chatting with another employee, who fittingly had a British accent, and found out that the store had only opened the day prior and that the popular "Fabulously British" company had been making a push within the last couple of years to open to the American market in locations ranging from Nantucket to Charlottesville.


Claiming on its website to purport "excess, adventure, and sexiness," I'm not sure Jack Wills is hitting its demographic in Westport, nonetheless, with the array of interesting preppy inspired garments and brand novelty, I'm sure it will do just fine.  Here is the JW Back to School Preview.




Relying mainly on word-of-mouth rather than traditional advertising techniques, with only a handful of locations nationwide, the company's marketing platform relies on its printed catalogue and seasonal events called JW Seasonnaires, such as the Jack Wills Varsity Polo Match, which took place this past June at the Gaurds Polo Club.  Here are the 2011 highlights...




On a final note, check out Jack Will's older brother line called Aubin & Wills, a similar idea but geared towards an older crowd.  The blog on the website is worth a visit, and there are plenty of other things to explore on the site.  For the time being here in the US we'll give Jack a go.