Join the J.Crew

Michelle Obama's favourite label comes to UK shores with a bang, thanks to a campaign that features a cast of industry style icons

The American casualwear brand J.Crew first shot to fame internationally four years ago, thanks to a rather influential champion – Michelle Obama. But a new project launching this summer sees the label enlisting rather less well-known fashionable "tastemakers". Shot by the renowned street-style photographers Scott Schuman, of The Sartorialist, and the illustrator Garance Doré, the latest campaign by J.Crew features bloggers, artists and journalists, all demonstrating their own takes on this mass-appeal label.

"Some people are great at working with colour, pattern, proportion," explains Schuman. "But knowing what works well on your body is absolutely something that can be learned, like a skill."

Take your tips then from the two faces chosen to represent the UK, Tank magazine's publisher and darling of street-style snappers, Caroline Issa, and the classical violinist Charlie Siem, who has also been photographed by Karl Lagerfeld and models for Alfred Dunhill. While Issa prefers a more uptown casual look, Siem favours traditional tailoring – made playful with bright accessories.

J.Crew's range is known for its breadth, which takes in workwear, casual, preppy and formal, and is key to its universal success. Easy-to-wear, classic pieces are made interesting with design quirks, up-to-the-minute prints and, this summer, bright and bold colours.

"Everybody loves J.Crew," says Garance Doré. "I remember when it wasn't available [outside the US] and my friends would always ask me to bring them anything from J.Crew in New York. They always said 'Anything! Just choose from J.Crew'. So there you go."

Films of the project are online now at jcrew.com, while style diaries from each of the featured models will be added this month. There are also chances to win VIP opportunities with J.Crew, and the brand has lifted duty on internet orders until the end of August.

www.jcrew.com