Impressive import: It’s no secret that we put our luxe Italian leather on a pedestal. (It’s simply the best.) But that’s not all: Our classic ballets also boast a cushioned insole and extra padding—little details that make all the difference.

Color story: Our designers are pretty much obsessed with one-of-a-kind colors. To create our Cece, they collected fabric swatches, art books and even candy for inspiration. Then it was off to Tuscany, where they worked with a local tannery’s color specialists to get every shade just right.

Twice as nice: Two-tone and texture—two things we just can’t get enough of. Introducing the Dreamweaver and the Quorra, featuring intricate, handcrafted designs that will surely put a spring in your step.

From saturated suede (in 10 rich hues) to handcrafted woven leather, our ballets are made for so much more than commuting. See them all at jcrew.com’s ballet boutique.

Hue knew: It just gets better. Our much-loved Italian cashmere, now in 18 customized shades—painstakingly narrowed down from 40—for the perfect palette of can’t-look-away colors.

(Not) run of the mill: We go to great lengths—4,028 miles (from New York City to Quarona, Italy) to be exact—to ensure that each shade has just the right depth, saturation and brightness.

Soft sell: Our cashmere is sourced from Mongolian cashmere goats that are cared for by nomad herders and gently combed in the summer months for their downy fleece (yes, we just gloated about our goats).

From custom-dyed shell buttons to one-of-a-kind cable weaves, there’s so much more to our cashmere than meets the eye. Dig deeper at jcrew.com’s cashmere shop.

Sheilini, Catalog Art Director:
March 2008
“This is the front cover image of the catalog—we shot at Richard Neutra’s iconic 1946 Kaufmann House in Palm Springs. The house in the background was the perfect backdrop for the model sitting at the edge of the pool—it set the tone for things to come. And it was shot at night! How cool is that?”

Jack, Men’s Stylist:
June 2008
“This was shot in Morocco with British model and amateur boxer Will Chalker. We had a tight color palette of khaki, olive, white and orange, which worked perfectly in the desert. It was also one of our last catalogs shot with film, so the photos have a very ’60s cinematic feel.”

Gayle, Women’s Stylist:
Fall 2003
“My all-time favorite was the Ireland catalog. It truly marked J.Crew’s new beginning with Mickey and Jenna at the helm!”

Frank, Head of Men’s Design:
October 2010
“To me, this represents the whole fall 2010 PR presentation, which was a turning point for our men’s design team. From the props to the looks to the lighting, this catalog perfectly captured the way everything came together in the presentation.”

(post by Ashley Price, image credit: Milton Avery by Robert Hobbs, Cleveland Museum of Art, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation)