J. Crew Virtual Beach House Adds 40th Anniversary Inspiring Energy to Jcrew Con

June 9, 2023

J. Crew is celebrating its fortieth anniversary by opening a virtual beach house with the brand’s merchandise on the Obsess e-commerce platform.

“We were really looking to have an exciting activation that we could execute for a larger audience and reach more of the people who love the brand in a bigger way,” said Derek Yarbrough, the chief marketing officer of J. Crew and Madewell. “We really wanted this to be a passport to explore the world of J. Crew … and as the team brainstormed on it, it was a little bit of a no-brainer to take the form of a beach house.”

jcrew con j crew virtual beach house
Image Source: J. Crew

The future of retail includes the metaverse, and J. Crew is jumping on board with an experiment to mark its 40th anniversary. A new Jcrew con beach house utilizes the virtual store platform known as Obsess, to create an experience in line with the retail trends of 2023.


Jcrew Con Virtual Beach House Interactivity

Amidst a sunny blue sky, tall willows, and nearby water, shoppers are treated to a location in line with the brand’s theme.

While wandering around, shoppers will be able to click on various interactive icons and move around the camera with their mouse to look anywhere in a 360 degree space.

jcrew con j crew virtual beach house

The goal of this brand activation is to increase engagement with customers and turn over higher rates of conversion with the addition of games such as scavenger hunts.


When navigating into specific areas, shoppers will see virtual clothing they can click on and choose to purchase.

Although the metaverse seems to be losing ground quickly, smaller steps such as these virtual shops could find their foothold and prove to elevate brand awareness and customer experiences which is gaining ground for the future of retail.

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