St. John: Back in the Groove
After a year of executive flux and slipping sales, Irvine, Calif.–based St. John seems to be getting its groove back—or, at least, that is the opinion of the high-end brand’s loyal customers.
On April 13, the 45-year-old maker of conservative knit suits for well-to-do ladies hosted a Fall fashion show for approximately 300 of its faithful at The Island Hotel in Newport Beach, Calif.
The women, mostly dressed in pastel wool suits from seasons past, greeted St. John’s latest collection with a standing ovation. That’s a big change from their frosty response at retail to the brand’s recent attempts at reinvention. In 2005 co-founder, designer and muse Marie Gray and her daughter, Kelly Gray, left the company. In their absence a new St. John was born—a more-stark, leaner, minimalist St. John with less sparkle and more skin.
Now, Marie and Kelly Gray are back as creative consultants, as is Vice President of Design Maria Lopez. In this, St. John’s first runway show in a year, the Grays’ touch is back.
Packed with decidedly classic St. John silhouettes—fitted jackets, pencil skirts, crisp slacks—the Fall collection marks a return to the aesthetic that helped the knitwear maker become a $400 million operation. Key looks included tweed tailored skirt suits shot through with metallic thread, an A-line sheath in classic St. John pink, and a crisp white suit with a plunging neckline and covered in clear sequins for evening. The crowd made its favorites known, clapping for a black knit sheath with a lace inset, a smoky tweed suit with a belted waist and luxurious fur collar, and a skirt suit with a ruffle at the lapel. Still, there were some looks that toed the minimalist line—a little black dress with spare lines and not a single sparkle and a military-style jacket paired with trendy black leggings––making it clear that the brand is not totally abandoning its younger, more fashion-forward direction.
St. John is moving forward with its new muse and poster girl, actress Angelina Jolie. Jolie’s ads, shot by photographer Mario Testino, are the antithesis of St. John’s ads featuring Kelly Gray. While it has backed away substantially from the styling and silhouettes targeted at Jolie and her set, St. John retained some of her sensibility for the Fall presentation. Models sported easy, swept-back hair and demure makeup inspired by the actress’ ads.
Gloria Harris of Laguna Beach, Calif., said she’s worn St. John for more than 30 years. Her friend Lynn Sakata of Dana Point, Calif., has worn the brand for 10 years, and both said you couldn’t pay them to wear the St. John of a year ago. “It lost its style. I’d even call it dowdy—very disappointing,” Harris said. Now, it’s a different story. “They’re back to their old self again. It’s very elegant,” Sakata said.
Kay Herman, Marie Gray’s mother, said she and the entire Gray family are happy Marie and Kelly are back at St. John. “It’s so good to have her back. I’m always very proud of her and especially on occasions like this when I know she’s happy,” Herman said. Herman recognized her daughter’s contribution to St. John’s Fall 2007 offerings in the fabrics and jackets, she said.
Renee Cisneros, a friend of the Gray family, didn’t mince words when it came to the Gray-less St. John. “The other stuff was total junk,” she said. “The quality was different, and the buttons were horrible. When Marie was there, she made sure everything was the best quality, and women appreciated it. She never let anything out the door unless it was perfect.” Now, Cisneros thinks St. John is returning to that sensibility. “I haven’t purchased St. John in two years. Now I’m definitely going shopping.” Her favorite piece: a stony blue gown with a chiffon train and a constellation of sequins. “It was gorgeous,” she said.
With the Grays back, St. John still has several hurdles to navigate. The position of chief executive officer, empty since Richard Cohen left the company a year ago, has yet to be filled. And the company, which went on a search for a high-profile designer to lead the reinvention of the brand, has yet to land a design head. It isn’t clear if, with the Grays back, that search continues. —Erin Barajas
