20 Minutes With NYDJ CEO Lisa Collier
NYDJ is pulling out all the stops to give women the perfect fitting pair of jeans.
The spring season saw NYDJ rolling out its “Fit is Everything” campaign to capture real women and jeans that work, and highlight how critical that is to feeling good about yourself and what you’re wearing. Taking that successful spring momentum into fall, NYDJ’s incoming line features fit technology that tucks tummies and lifts rears—and adds new takes on hemlines.
Carved in Blue caught up with company CEO Lisa Collier to find out more about what’s in store for NYDJ this fall and what to expect from the brand in the future.
Carved in Blue: What is the vision of NYDJ? What does NYDJ stand for?
Lisa: The NYDJ vision is to always make women look and feel sexy, confident and amazing, empowering her to live her best and most confident life. Our DNA is rooted in fit, comfort and style, and we believe that jeans should make you look and feel great, both physically and emotionally. We are fit experts and focus on our ability to be accessible to consumers, making each woman feel feminine, beautiful and confident.
Carved in Blue: Your fall line looks incredible. Can you tell us more about the latest fit? What is happening with hem lengths?
Lisa: We know that a great fit changes everything. It inspires confidence, exudes warmth and makes you feel like the best version of yourself. We call this the transformative power of fit and it happens when you pull on a pair of NYDJ’s. Our signature slimming fit technology features a patented criss-cross panel design to tuck and trim the tummy in front while lifting and contouring curves in the back. NYDJ’s Lift Tuck ® technology works so well, we always suggest selecting a size smaller. Our Fall 2017 collection is all about fall foliage colors, authentic washes and classic style with a twist. Hemline detail is highlighted this season and we are offering an assortment of designs: raw, release, fray and side slit hem are a few of our fall styles. We are turning up the perfect fit with a little hemline interest.
Carved in Blue: What are some of your favorite pieces?
Lisa: The Uplift Alina Legging in Future Fit Denim which features TENCEL® fibers. Available in six washes, it is one of our newest denim innovations. NYDJ Uplift features an exclusive Optic Pocket™ seam that creates the illusion of a higher, rounder, rear view. Made with our revolutionary Future Fit™ elastic fiber compression technology, which uniformly hugs every curve for a perfectly flawless, second-skin fit. Another favorite is our newly launched Smart Embrace denim which features COOLMAX® fibers all season technology to keep you cool on hot days and warm on cold days, perfect for fallsince temperatures can quickly fluctuate. The Ami Skinny or girlfriend jean in Smart Embrace denim are some of our favorite fits. Just throw on our army jacket in Topiary with fabric made from TENCEL® fibers for a comfortable and cute fall ensemble!
Carved in Blue: There was an incredible SP 2017 campaign with customer testimonials and fit parties. What was a highlight of this campaign? How did this influence the designs this season?
Lisa: Our Spring 2017 “Fit is Everything” campaign showed firsthand how perfectly fitting denim can make you feel like the best, most confident version of yourself. Shot by fashion photographer, Dewey Nicks, we held a casting call of more than 50 women of all ages and sizes for a photo shoot for an undisclosed brand. The women were then introduced to NYDJ as the cameras rolled capturing their experience. The ones who expressed the most authentic and enthusiastic responses were invited to participate in the campaign’s photo shoot right there on the spot. The highlight of the campaign was witnessing the women’s genuine, first-impression reactions, which were joy, astonishment, happiness and comfort-inspired by our denim that’s made to fit every woman. This experience was so impactful that we took the creative campaign to the road with our National Fit Tour, opening a nationwide casting call where we fit women on the spot and photographed them for the opportunity to be showcased in our Fall 2017 campaign. With our customer always top of mind, we continue to design pieces that are comfortable and stylish that fit perfectly and contour curves to make her feel amazing.
Carved in Blue: What are the features of the TENCEL® styles for customers?
Lisa: All NYDJ jeans including the denims with TENCEL® fibers which have Lift Tuck technology with certain styles containing uplift technology for the derriere.
Carved in Blue: What is your take on color denim this season?
Lisa: Color is always relevant, especially for the NYDJ woman. Colors this season are more muted and washed and look best when paired with crisp white shirts or chambray.
Carved in Blue: What Instagrammers do you turn to for fashion inspiration?
Lisa: We are constantly collaborating with influencers who embody NYDJ’s values and have developed great partnerships with a diverse group of women. There isn’t one specific influencer that inspires us since everyone is unique and different. It’s what makes NYDJ special, the fact that it’s for all women.
Carved in Blue: How does NYDJ address the “Conscious Denim Choice”?
Lisa: NYDJ consistently stays mindful of this new eco shift most denim mills have been moving into. We are excited that more and more denim mills are offering additional ‘go-green’ options. We have many products with TENCEL® fibers on our current line and we also have a few core items in the collection that are produced using Liquid Indigo, which helps manage a cleaner waste. Finally, all our washes are developed with the mindset to use less water.