"No menswear...what the ... ?"
This words - and yes exactly like that - were sent to us
via email via the e-mail subject line recently after Spiegel Online has published an article about us (Whoooop! You can read it
here, btw). In the past, we've been asked quite often why we don't sell any sustainable menswear (ususally in a less rude way though).
Since this seems a question a lot of you guys would like an answer to, I am going to answer it right now. So, why is there no JAN 'N JUNE menswear?
First, to assure you, we would love love love to be an eco fashion brand that doesn't serve women only. As you may have guessed there is a BUT. Actually there are two BUTS. So here we go.
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Money, money, money.
There is a reason why a lot of investors aren't into the fashion industry and especially not into the eco fashion industry. In contrary to other areas (such as apps, e.g.) you have a phisical product (already not a big plus), and actually you have a whole collection of physical products (even worse). And now, the biggest issue, your products change constantly, which also means you have to develop new ones every season. Consequently, a huge amount of money is going into development again and again. Since we offer ecological and fair products with a transparent supply chain, scaling into a huge company lightining-fast (also known as turning into a "unicorn" in the start up world) can't be done that quickly and neither the product development.
We do new womenswear collections twice a year and that is actually not even a lot. If we would also do a menswear collection, we simply would need more money again. Not even for product development (although that's the biggest part) but also for marketing, PR, sourcing, sales, a bigger booth at the Green Showroom, ... . So unless you don't have a very good idea where we could get it from, a JAN 'N JUNE menswear collection isn't happening too soon.
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We do what we know best
When we started our eco fashion label, we had to figure out A LOT of things we didn't know by then (and some we still don't know). One thing we knew for sure, were womenswear fitting, styles and trends. Yes, it is true, that men are better customers. Once you've convinced them they will buy that one shirt in every color again and again and again. Men are loyal with their favorite fashion brands. But still, to create a menswear collection, we definitely would need more advice in pattern making and desgining, hence more time. And of course, we are open for advice.
Don't get me wrong. We have this goal list for every year and there is bullet point saying
"JAN 'N JUNE for men" so at some point we will do it. Until then, dear men, please have some patience with us.
If you have any suggestions, ideas or whatsoever, drop us a line at mail@jannjune.com. We would appreciate if it would be written beyond the subject line and would contain your name, though. ;-)
xxx Jula