J.Crew News: Battle with Ann Taylor

There are some interesting articles over Ann Taylor's similarities with J.Crew. The first article comes from Fashionista (click here to read in its entirety):

Is Ann Taylor’s “J.Crew” Strategy Paying Off?
By Lauren Sherman
August 20, 2010

Over the last two years, Ann Taylor has made a noticeable effort to bring its apparel and accessories offerings out of the naughts and into the new, uber-fashion-conscious decade.

In fact, many industry insiders we’ve spoken to about AT’s reformation have noted: “They’re trying be J.Crew.” Evidence of this marketing scheme can be found in the retailer’s newfound preppy-meets-glam aesthetic. The company also recently inked a deal with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund to host a runway show in Los Angeles this October.

Well, whether or not Ann Taylor has taken a page from J.Crew’s playbook doesn’t really seem to matter today. The New York-based retailer reported a very successful second quarter, with overall sales increasing by 2.8% to $483.5 million (when compared with the same quarter in 2009).

Comparable store sales–or sales in stores that have been open for at least one year–were up 6.1%, compared to a 22.4% decline last year. And e-commerce was up 28.5%. Overall sales for the first half of 2010 were $959.7 million, up almost 7% from 2009.

While these numbers aren’t mind-boggling, they are an improvement. It looks like Ann Taylor’s strategy might be working. For now, at least.

The following is a post from the Frisky, which offers a slideshow of the two retailers (click here for the article & slideshow):

Ann Taylor or J.Crew? It's Hard To Tell
By Annika Harris
August 23, 2010

We, along with other fashion insiders and shoppers, have noticed that Ann Taylor and Loft have been looking a lot like J.Crew. All three retailers seem to be targeting the same group—women who want a tasty and stylish stew of Parisian, preppy, and urban chic. So we decided to play a little game to see if there’s a difference between J.Crew and Ann Taylor.

Does Ann Taylor come close to recreating J.Crew’s aesthetic? Can you tell the difference between the two brands?...

Well, I do agree that the offerings of Ann Taylor & Ann Taylor Loft share a striking resemblance to J.Crew. I never paid attention to Ann Taylor until a year and a half ago. All of sudden they were offering styles I wanted to buy.

Not only were the styles familiar, but so was the marketing. Ann Taylor began sending emails similar to J.Crew's "Jenna's Picks". If I remember correctly, Ann Taylor lured away several members of J.Crew's creative team in the past few years too. I think it is smart for Ann Taylor to offer what customers want, but they should be careful about mimicking J.Crew's strategy too much.

What are your thoughts on Ann Taylor looking like J.Crew? Are you a fan of Ann Taylor too? Do you think it is a good move for Ann Taylor? Do you think this hurts or helps J.Crew?