American interloper Madewell battles it out against British high street brands

What could be more American than blue jeans? In the fashion stakes, at least, there’s not much to rival that garment’s ability to encapsulate the hopes, dreams and identities of a nation so succinctly. It’s fitting, then, that the latest import from those shores is Madewell, a brand beloved by those in the know for its super-soft take on the workwear staple.

Today, the brand is the casual little sister to J Crew – another American brand that Brits can’t get enough of – but its roots stretch further back than that. In 1937, Russian émigré Julius Kivowitz founded the first Madewell factory in New England, producing denim workwear for blue-collar workers. Over time it diversified into fashion offerings and childrenswear, before finally closing its last factory in 1989.

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In its current iteration, Madewell began to come to life in 2004, when Mickey Drexler, the powerhouse chief executive behind the J Crew Group, acquired the logo and trademark of the then-defunct brand. Drexler had previously been president of Gap, which he had been responsible for transforming into a multibillion-dollar international business. Although he was ousted in 2002 when the brand’s fortunes began to fade, he was snapped up by J Crew, where he began to work his brand of retail magic. Since Madewell stores began opening in 2006, the brand’s mid-priced, casual offering has carved out a niche with little competition, thanks to the polarised nature of the American “main street”, in which there has traditionally been little middle ground between designer brands and their contemporary offshoots and mass-market retailers such as Target and Forever 21. Now, though, as big European brands – including Topshop, Cos and Asos – are steadily making inroads into the mid-priced American market, Madewell has set its sights on international expansion. While the brand has some 170 stores in North America, only customers in Japan have been able to order its wares online. Rather than introduce international shipping – and deal with the inherent logistical difficulties – the brand has partnered with e-tailer Net-a-porter.com to branch out globally.

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“We have fans from all over the world and have noticed that, increasingly, our Stateside business is from women who are visiting from other countries,” says Somsack Sikhounmuong, head of design at Madewell, who thinks the brand’s aesthetic will be well received by British shoppers. “The attitude is a bit different to J Crew – Madewell is a bit more casual and tomboyish with a heavy focus on denim.”

Natalie Hartley, fashion director of Glamour magazine, agrees. “I think the brand does great denim,” she says. “I especially like the dungarees they do, but what I’ve always loved is the soft texture of the denim fabric they use – it feels like you’ve owned a pair for years.”

It’s safe to say that denim is the brand’s bread and butter – handy ,considering it’s one of the season’s biggest trends. But there are nods to other trends in the spring/summer collection, too, which will help it sit alongside the fashion-forward offering of Net-a-porter. “Madewell is going to be a major hit with our customers,” says Ben Matthews, buying manager of the site, which was responsible for launching J Crew in the UK in 2010. And while the denim offering is appealing, there’s plenty more to get excited about, too. “It’s the kind of brand that can form the basis of a killer wardrobe; the collection is smart, straightforward and designed to be worn day-to-day. The accessories are super cool, and you’ll find the perfect T-shirt and slouchy sweats as well.”

While the diversity of the brand’s offering has been a major selling point, its accessible pricing has paid no small part in building its appeal, especially among foreign customers like Hartley. “If the price-point remains the same, I think Madewell will make a great addition to the high street. A lot of US brands are coming over here, but I feel that they are being marketed at a slightly higher level than how they are seen at home. As we have such a strong high street, I think they need to be careful how they fit in.”

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Inevitably, the brand’s international pricing is elevated – customers should expect to pay roughly a third more than their American counterparts – but is still competitive, compared to the company it will keep on Net-a-porter. “The Madewell prices are undoubtedly great for our contemporary offering,” Matthews says. “We’ve always had an amazing response to brands and collaborations [including recent tie-ups between Target and designers Peter Pilotto and Altuzarra, and Topshop and Kate Moss] within this price category.” Customers already familiar with the brand will relish the increased availability, which, combined with the site’s slick customer service, will perhaps justify that mark-up.

For Jenny Dickinson, editor of The Edit, Net-a-porter’s digital publication, the launch has come at a perfect time: “The brand’s been on my radar since the launch, but it was probably its collaboration with Alexa Chung in 2010 that really made it stand out. And now I’m happy to share. We operate in such a digital world that nothing stays under the radar for long.”