Letter from the Creative Director, Susie Crippen

In the last two days, I have met two men who both knew about J Brand because their wives wear our jeans. The first time I put on our first sample, my dad was visiting, and he said, “Wow, that is a good-looking jean.” My dad is my fashion icon and is very vocal about what he doesn’t like and very conservative with the compliments…so this was a rave.

When my sister-in-law Marinell put on her first pair, my brother Pete said, “Wow! Honey, you look great!”

Same response when my friend Stephanie put on hers and walked out to show her boyfriend, “Wow.”

When we started this company, I wanted to create beauty in the world. I wanted to make women feel so great that they radiated confidence and a little somethin’, somethin’ and took that out into the world with them.

Now, you may be thinking, “Come on, lady, it is a jean!” and you are correct…it is a jean, AND I just bought Paul Smith’s book, “You Can Find Inspiration In Everything.” I agree with him! You can find inspiration in everything…even in a jean.

These are some things in which I find inspiration…no matter what:

Extend-A-Joke: When you say something funny or really kind of dumb, and the person or people around you catch it, and it just goes on forever! It’s my FAVORITE thing. My family has been doing this for years. To make it even better, you have to tell other people so they become a part of the joke as well…whether they were there or not. It’s like a never-ending game. Simply glorious.

Cupcakes: Words cannot describe how much I love a simple yellow cupcake with chocolate butter cream icing.

Fabric: Obvious for the Creative Director of a denim company…. BUT, I seriously could look at all kinds of fabric all day long. My favorites are vintage Japanese kimono fabric and floral prints from the 40s, and I never wear anything with flowers, but those prints just send me!

U2: That’s right, the band. I have loved them from the first note I ever heard, and they just get better and better and inspire me to never give up, never stop and never limit myself.
P.S. The only concert t-shirt I ever owned was from The Unforgettable Fire tour.
I wish I still had that thing!

Dogs: A really great dog is the best thing in the world. Mine is quite extraordinary, and he makes me laugh every single day! (He is the one in the photo.)

Dancing: What’s better than dancing? N-o-t-h-i-n-g. Why don’t I do it more?

Okay, enough about what inspires me…and I could go on for days. What inspires you? Are you surrounded by it? Aware of it? Taking note of it? Living it? Letting it do its work on you? I tell you what… I am going dancing this week…what about you?