Once upon a time, J.Crew was known for selling preppy staples in a million shades of beige, from oatmeal to ecru. These days, the brand's cashmere and double cloth comes in a far more vibrant palette of poppy reds, Yves Klein blues, and more neon pinks than Elsa Schiaparelli could shake a stick at. But, how, exactly, does J.Crew make that dizzying array of hues?
The brand reveals all in the video below. Turns out, creating colors that pop is a multistep process that requires the following:
— Staring at fruit, fine wines, and office supplies for inspiration.
— Enough sample swatches to fill a million mood boards.
— Three transatlantic flights from New York to Florence and back.
— A science lab suitable for mapping the human genome...or dyeing three-season stadium cloth coats.
— A desktop computer so ancient and dusty, it might actually be Steve Jobs' garage model, circa '76.
— Some sheep.
— And, a dude named Luigi.
Confused? Don't be. All will be explained in the charming, Wes Anderson-montage-style video below. Hit play — and hope that maybe the next video explains the difference between neon coral, neon hibiscus, and neon flamingo.
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