by MAYA SINGER
Njengoba benze ngesizini edlule, abakwa-J.Crew bakhethe ukukhombisa iqoqo labo elisha “kubantu bangempela,” ababengabangani besikhathi eside bomkhiqizo. (Isaziso esiseceleni: Ingabe amamodeli angochwepheshe awawona angempela? Uma uwahlaba, awavuthi igazi?) Futhi ingqikithi ethi “abangane bakudala” yaqhubeka ezingutsheni: Njengoba uSomsack Sikhounmuong, inhloko yezingubo zabesifazane yohlobo, evuma esethulweni se-J.Crew namuhla, yena nethimba lakhe benze uphenyo oluthile kule sizini. Umphumela ojabulisayo waba ukuthi i-J.Crew yakudala ibukeka njengehembe lombhoxo nejezi le-rollneck kubuyiswe ngemva kokuthatha umhlalaphansi isikhathi eside. Abantu—abangempela—ababehlala kulezo zingcezu ngawo-1990 bazojabula kakhulu.
I-J.Crew staples ye-vintage yakamuva ibibukwa lapha, futhi, ngendlela ebuyekezwe kahle. Amakhaki abuyekezwa njengamabhulukwe e-camo axegayo noma ama-olive drab cargos; ukugqoka ngemigqa emhlophe noma ye-seersucker uthole izimo ezintsha ze-blouson; i-go-to blazer yanikezwa ukuthunga kabusha okune-languid.
Umthelela ojwayelekile bekuwukukhipha enye yaleyo preppy J.Crew crispness bese uyishintsha ngokubukeka kwe-dishabille. Uma ukulungiselelwa bekuncishisiwe, noma kunjalo, uphawu lwentengiso lwe-pep lwaluphelele: Amajezi e-Cheerful Fair Isle, iziketi ze-satin ezinamagwebu neziketi ze-tulle, kanye nosizo olunqwabelene lwemibala egqamile ne-pastel kwenze lokhu kuphuma kwazizwa kujabule ngendlela ethile. (Amapheshana kanye nama-motifs enhliziyo nenkanyezi, ngakolunye uhlangothi, aphushe ithoni nje-kancane nje kubukhulu be-twee.)
Umuntu uthole ukukhathazeka okuncane lapha-hhayi ukuthi yini ehlangene nemicimbi ezindabeni esuthise leso simo kweminye imibukiso, kodwa inkinga kamazisi eqondene ngqo no-J.Crew. Leli qoqo belizama ukuba yizinto eziningi—umphakeli wama-camos ane-low-slung, umthombo weziketi zakusihlwa ezinemibala eyi-baroque, ikhaya lokulungisa ukubukeka kwe-tuxedo, njalonjalo. Lifunani ikhasimende le-J.Crew kulolu hlobo? Impendulo yayingase itholakale ekubukekeni kophawu olulodwa: amakhamo agqokwe nenkinobho ende, enemigqa eya phansi ngokuluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka okuphaphathekile kanye nenye yama-blazi amasha e-drape-y kuvelvet ye-indigo. Leyo ngubo yayinekhwalithi, yebo, yomngane wakudala—osathanda ukuyibona ngoba basenokuthile okusha abangakusho.