The names of J. Crew

Update: If you are here via The New Inquiry, welcome. Interesting article, right?  Unfortunately, I feel like my quotes were inaccurately applied. Sarah's claim that I have an "extreme passion to fetishize the named garment" was illustrated with something I said about naming human beings, not naming garments. More specifically, the quotes she used were plucked from a discussion on the so called "dangers" of giving unusual names to children. I invite you to read it so that you can appreciate the context of my featured statements. 

I have written on product names, to be sure, as you'll see in the post below, but my enthusiasm for naming people and my musings on naming products are not interchangeable.  

 In another post, I note the curiously stylish names of hurricanes - So let me say, for the record, that I am not attempting to fetishize tropical storms, either. I trust this won't be on anyone's radar, though - I don't recall Marx having written about hurricanes.  

Finally, I invite you to browse the archives, where you will find a blog about human stories, craft, design, and names - names from any place I can dig them up and analyze them (a somewhat nerdy and fringe interest, but not a capitalist one), amongst various other topics, ranging from homebirth to surfing. 

You will find that "the fetishization of named products" is neither an accurate description of the reaches of this blog, nor is it even the point of the post on J.Crew product names below. With one exception (in the opening paragraph), no products are even mentioned. In fact, Sarah and I are noticing many of the same things regarding the savvy employed in naming products - where her article asks "why name products?" so that she may focus on consumer psychology and ever evolving marketing tools (noble focus), mine asks "why those particular names", in an attempt to illustrate something about the names themselves (not to celebrate products). I blog about names - any product I mention in conjunction with a name is to ultimately say something about the name, itself.   

   Ultimately, these things happen. I think the The New Inquiry is staffed with conscientious thinkers and writers, which is why I will return to read it's articles. 

Update end  




That's dancer Ellen Bar (above) wearing J. Crew's 2010 Delphinia gown. I'll say here,unabashedly, this photo is what launched the variation Delphine onto our short list of potential names for our second daughter; I even toyed with the name Jane Delphinia. We didn't short list the name to honor the image, the dress, or the woman -- we don't know this women and don't honor dresses, no matter how stunning they may be! -- but I was reintroduced to the name by seeing it printed here and fell in love with it's sound and mythical associations.  

This March 2010 issue featured other real women (and a bit of their stories) wearing the company's clothes: designers, writers, dancers, all clad in some of J.Crew's most beautiful garments.

  

It was here in this very issue of the J. Crew March 2010 catalog that I had the idea to take a look at the names of designers and artists as a possible focal point for a blog.  

This woman's name is Naomi Beckwith, a curator. How fantastic is her name? From start to finish, it's magic. I would love to know her middle name.

 Photographer, Carolina Palmgren (what a fantastic name!)  I read that baby ended up being called Sol - another great one.

 Molly and Lily, beautiful names on beautiful ladies.

Other names from this bunch of inspiring women: Mei Tao, Dianna Lunt, Amanda Brooks and Cellerie Kemble.

Since this issue, I've kept a close watch on the names of J. Crew's garments, as well.  I've noticed a real cohesion of the names chosen and the particular images in the catalog. 

 You guys have seen the names, right?  Well, perhaps you've also noticed the change in the line, itself? 

Everyone can readily recognize the changes that have occurred with the brand in the latter portion of the last decade.   Here's an article on new direction, featuring Jenna Lyons, president and creative director. 

The new look, from J.Crew's photography to prop styling to the clothing itself has gone a bit more fashion forward, as have, I would argue, the names in their catalogs. 


I sure would love to know who picks the names.  

It's definitely the work of a serious name nerd and someone who well understands the cohesion of sound and image. or perhaps someone who well understands the role of names in a consumer's expectations?  

Not only are they opting  to name their garments, but they are picking very particular names to match (and further promote or even suggest)a very particular style. The idea that names can connote a certain style or feeling is certainly not lost on them. 

At any rate, the names are worth examining further for their own merits, one of which may simply be being stylish. It was this particular trait that landed them on the pages of J.Crew: 

Edie 

Dahlia

Tulip

Suvi 

Farrow

Bonnie

Betsy

September

Mona

Plum

Delphinia (Delphine) 

Reve 

Miki

Nouvelle

Valentina

Adrianna

Paley

Nanine

Alisanne

Fawn

Meade 

Biella

Elodie

Arabelle

Zadie

Liberty

Colette

Indigo

Pearl

Georgine  

Selma 

Flores

Lula 

Quorra

Cece

Padgett

Darby

Lomellina

Blythe 

Oralie

Fleur

Rory

Kristen 

Kendall

Juliet

Jilian

Mika

Dorrie

Lunette

Minnie

Salina

Whisper 

Campbell

Beaumont

Bowery 

Winslow

Booker 

Bennett

Albertus

Hutton

Meander 

Ludlow

Claude 

Gifford

Thomas

Sawyer

Crew

and from the artists in today's post:

Ellen

Naomi

Molly

Dianna

Lily

Carolina

Amanda

Celerie 

Mei 

What do you think about this set?  Would seeing names on a product take them off the table for you, or would you entertain using a name you came across this way?  

 (image 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)