In a world where every stylist, designer, model, and artist is incessantly in search of something to set them apart, Jenna Lyons stands easily above the rest. And it's not because of her six-foot-plus frame. Whether she's debuting a new collection, showing off her "Shiny Ponies", or sharing her ugly-duckling tales with the world, Lyons has proven quirky, fun, stylish, and comfortable in her own skin. Serious girl crush material, we'd say.
But what is remarkable about Lyons is that she's not just someone you want as your best friend. She's the kind of person you want to work with; someone you can be creative with, even turn around an entire business with. As Libby Wadle, J. Crew's executive vice president of the brand has vouched, "Jenna is a designer all day long, but she can have conversations about real estate and parts of the business that many designers will just tune out. She gets all the moving parts and how they connect."
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Fast Company's recent Creative Conversation on "How Jenna Lyons Transformed J. Crew Into A Cult Brand" revealed a number of admirable characteristics that this creative yet savvy woman exemplifies. "She knows how to make you feel appreciated, even if you need to be redirected," explains Ashley Sargent Price, who does art direction for J. Crew's catalogs and site. Designer Emily Lovecchio adds, "Jenna loves people who are really themselves, flaws and all." She values those who take risks and considers herself "pretty candid", a quality she swears allowed her to keep her job after Mickey Drexler entered as CEO in 2003 – "His bullshit-dar is insane."
Pair her hard-to-master leadership skills with her eye for design – not only her personal boy-girl aesthetic, but also her overarching emphasis on quality and continuity – and there's really no question why we adore Jenna Lyons. (Fast Company)
Photo: Via Fast Company