Photo: Courtesy of Loving Dresses.With prom season officially in full swing, the hunt for the perfect dress is reaching a fever pitch. But, for the first time in 40 years, there's one label teenage girls won't be seeing on the racks: the legendary Jessica McClintock.
Bustle reports the brand stopped production on its garments following the 83-year-old McClintock's — yes, promgoers, there really is a Jessica McClintock — decision to retire. Her decision was prompted not only by her age, but also by major changes in the market. While the line still enjoyed a healthy $100 million in annual sales at the time of its closing, retailers like BCBG and Topshop have increasingly been nipping into the teen occasion-wear market with runway-inspired, trend-led designs that look more cutting-edge than cotillion ball.
By November 2013, the San Francisco-based brand had shuttered its boutiques and outlets without so much as a press release. It has also chosen not to license its name to other manufacturers. Sort of feels like being stood up by the captain of the football team, doesn't it?
Depending on where you were in the high school pecking order, McClintock's candy-colored satin and tulle gowns were either the prom wear of your Taylor Swifty dreams, or princess-y confections you wouldn't be caught dead wearing. But, for generations of girls, Jessica McClintock was an iconic part of the formal-season landscape. We'll miss seeing those multipage ads in Seventeen every year and believing for a second that a cupcake dress might make us the belle of the ball — even if we actually spent the entire night rolling our eyes at the prom queen. (Bustle)