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Macy's—a department store that is often overlooked by the fashion-forward set—has been making major strides recently to appeal to a younger, trendier audience. After revamping their Impulse collaborations with help from Made fashion week, they've now tapped influential street style photographer Garance Doré to shoot the first campaign for their new Parisian-inspired private label Maison Jules. Parisian model and blogger Jeanne Damas models the collection.
The focus on niche fashion "influencers" is, of course, nothing new in the fashion industry, but it's is a bit of an about-face for Macy's strategy. In contrast, one recent marketing push was a prominent role on Jessica Simpson's reality TV show Fashion Star, for example—a move clearly designed to appeal to a more mass audience.
As for the clothes, they're cute. Really cute, judging from this behind-the-scenes video. There's a sheer red midi skirt styled with ankle boots and a jean jacket; knee-length dresses worn with oversized cardigans; and the requisite Parisian sailor stripes. Garance is filmed saying, "That's exactly the kind of style I always try to talk about—something that's easy to wear, but has personality." She's convincing. It will be interesting to see if the average American shopper agrees.
Maison Jules debuts this fall in 151 top doors.
· Macy's Revamps Impulse Collaborations With Help From NYFW [Racked]