Industry Apparel Website www.journelle.com Founded 2007 Number of locations 3 | Key people Claire Chambers Founder Claire Chambers Headquarters New York City | |
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Products Bras, panties, hosiery, and lingerie Parent organization Triumph International Spiesshofer & Braun KG Profiles | ||
Journelle is a designer lingerie store based in New York. Journelle comes from the French word “journellement,” meaning “daily” and emphasizes the idea that beautiful lingerie should be worn every day. Both the physical stores and the online store present a curated collection of lingerie rather than an exhaustive selection.
Contents
Fine lingerie at journelle miami
History
Journelle was founded by Claire Chambers in 2007. Chambers was working as a management consultant when she saw the need for an elevated lingerie shopping experience. She realized that she was not alone in this belief and started working on a business model for what would eventually become Journelle.
The first store, located in the Union Square area of Manhattan, opened in 2007. Since then, additional stores have opened. Two in NYC (Soho and the Upper East Side) and another in Chicago in the Wicker Park neighborhood.
The company’s website, Journelle.com, launched in 2010 and re-launched in October 2013.
In 2014, Journelle hired lingerie designer Raina-Eid, formally of Victoria's Secret, to spearhead the forthcoming private label.
In 2015, Chambers left the business and Lyn Lewis was promoted to CEO Lewis is a graduate of Harvard Business School.
New York
Journelle’s flagship store in Union Square opened its doors in December 2007. In November 2010, Journelle opened its third store in NYC’s Soho. Journelle opened its Upper East Side store in December 2011.
Miami
In 2010, Journelle expanded outside of New York and opened a shop in Miami Beach. In addition to lingerie, this location also carried swimwear. The shop closed in 2011.
The Atelier
In November 2013, Journelle opened a private showroom in their corporate office in Chelsea. The Atelier is designed to cater to customers who want a more private shopping experience. Available for private appointments as well as small parties, the company is able to tailor the stock and experience to what the specific shopper requests.
Chicago
In November 2015, Journelle opened its Chicago location.
Products
Journelle carries lingerie ranging from the everyday to the special occasion. It is known to have “pretty, lacy, delicate lingerie.” The store also stocks loungewear, hosiery, shapewear and accessories. Some of the brands and designers they carry include Chantelle, Hanky Panky, Cosabella, Bordelle, Eberjey, Fleur of England, Wolford, Elle Macpherson Intimates, Stella McCartney and La Perla.
In February 2013, the company bottled their signature scent (the Linden flower) and created their own lingerie wash. Prior to the 2013 holiday season, they debuted luxury sleepwear under their company name.
The Grey Lady
During the summer of 2013, Journelle launched a mobile pop-up shop road trip. The company retrofitted a 1970 Land Yacht Airstream to resemble the stores’ aesthetic and atmosphere; complete with a tucked away dressing room, a lounging banquette and custom shelving. The airstream, named the Grey Lady, kicked off the summer in Sag Harbor, then traveled to Boston, Chicago, and Washington D.C. During New York Fashion Week, the Grey Lady popped up at the Standard Hotel’s High Line location.
The road trip served as a way for Journelle to meet already loyal customers and introduce them to the personal in-store experience, as well as a way to test top e-commerce markets for potential store expansion.
Free The Girls
In 2012, Journelle began an annual partnership with not-for-profit Free The Girls for a Spring Cleaning bra drive. Journelle collects gently used bras to send to the organization, which supports women who have been rescued from trafficking. Journelle runs the drive in each of their stores, as well as online, offering discounts to participants who donate gently used bras. They also donate $1 for each bra donated.
Free The Girls sends the bras to safe houses in Mozambique who help former victims of trafficking to sell the bras to other women in the community. By earning their own wages and building their own business model, these women are able to support themselves and their families.