For the second season in a row, J.Crew unveiled its latest collection featuring everyday men, women, and children, ranging in age from 9 to 67, in the brand's designs. For the fall line, which was debuted at New York Fashion Week, that meant low-slung camouflage pants, off-the-shoulder tartan blouses, and tulle skirts, along with updated rugby shirts, and "critters" emblazoned on ties and shirts.
Mixed in amid the mostly real people were Whoopi Goldberg's granddaughter, Julianne Moore's teenage daughter, and Molly Ringwald's seventh grade daughter, modeling for the first time, along with the headliner — comedienne Sandra Bernhard, who posed in a men's striped shirt and billowy high-waisted red slacks from the limited edition J.Crew Heritage collection.
Bernhard, who was invited to be part of the presentation by J.Crew womenswear designer Jenna Lyons, seemed to be having a blast, chatting with the fashion press and others who attended the unveiling of the collection. (Instead of a runway show, models stand in position for an hour or thereabouts, allowing up-close views of the clothing.)
"It's fun. Everybody's groovy. It's a big party," said Bernhard, who walked in a Chanel show in the early '90s and more recently was the face of the Marc Jacobs spring 2016 collection. "I like these settings. It's much less nerve wracking that walking down a runway. Everyone's interacting, it's a groove and a jam. I'm feeling good and I love nice clothes."
Indeed, the collection was filled with comfort clothes that veered a bit from the preppy looks J.Crew is known for, with more edgy styles, including loose-fitting velvet jackets in bright colors, ruffled off-the-shoulder sweatshirts, and patch-covered military fatigues.
Berharnd, who hosts a daily radio show on SiriusXM called “Sandyland” and performs her one-woman show, Sandra Monica Boulevard: Coast to Coast, across the nation, seemed more optimist than most critics about the effects of a Trump presidency.
"We're activated for the first time since the '60s. We had gotten complacent. And I think it's a blessing. We'll get rid of them. But hopefully after that, people won't wait around for the president to do all the work anymore," Bernhard said.
Sandra Bernhard, performer and fashion muse, wears J.Crew duchess satin tie blouse, men's striped shirt, and Heritage foundry pant.
