A Trip to J.Crew's Bridal Boutique

A big "thanks!" to Gem Twin who shared the following article about J.Crew's new Bridal Store in NYC over at Fashionista (click here to read the article in its entirety).

My Excellent J.Crew Wedding Store Adventure
By Lauren Sherman
June 25, 2010

...I thought it would still be smart to check out J.Crew’s new wedding boutique on Madison Ave. ...

...First, I was greeted by Kate M., my personal sales associate for the appointment. (She was accompanied by the lovely Candy.) These girls were amazing. They were so excited about everything, from the La Perla robes in the changing rooms to the array of sashes to the shoes. Their enthusiasm was infectious. But more on that later.

Tom Mora, who heads up the wedding design division at J.Crew, also popped by to walk me through the current collection. Tom’s been at J.Crew since 2001 and working on wedding since 2004, so he’s a wealth of knowledge. We talked a lot about which dresses are bestsellers (in reality, women have such different tastes that there isn’t one runaway hit); we also discussed garment construction, and fabric sourcing, which blew me away.

What surprised me, having only seen the dresses online, is just how special each one is. From the silk crepe Mimi t-shirt gown in a Champagne color to the Lucinda gown, a poly/cotton/silk ballgown with a hammered that almost resembles a seersucker, there’s a dress for every bride. (And with prices starting at something like $300 and capping off at under $4,000, these are good quality garments that most people can actually afford.)

Tom explained that, much like the J.Crew cashmere sourced from the same mills used by Loro Piana, the fabrics used on the wedding gowns are milled in Italy and France. And you can tell. I was besotted with the Sascha, a lightweight ivory silk taffeta number with a corseted bodice and structured sweetheart neckline, for this reason. The shape made me happy, but the fabric was just so luxurious, it made it even better.

...But onto accessories. The J.Crew bridal boutique has just about the most beautifully curated collection of accessories, lingerie and jewelry I’ve ever seen. The vintage pieces, mixed in with new edition Miriam Haskell, mixed in with the most perfect pair of satin platform pumps in the world–the Esme–made me incredibly happy. We also tried on several headpieces by local milliner Leah C., of which I also fell in love. Leah does everything from blushers to floral pins to headbands, so there’s something for every taste.

What are your thoughts on the article's take of the Wedding Boutique on Madison Avenue? Are you excited about its arrival? Do you think you will shop there? :)