The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games had a long list of marquee global sponsors. Airbnb, Alibaba, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Visa—the list goes on and on. So what’s a brand to do that wants to get in on the Olympic action, but perhaps doesn’t have a “worldwide Olympic partner”-level commitment to make?
I was intrigued by this year’s effort by J. Crew, which may be informative for other brands figuring out how to get in on any cultural moment—Olympic or not. Last year, the U.S. retailer (which does about $3 billion in sales a year) kicked off a multi-year partnership with U.S. Ski and Snowboard. The idea was that J. Crew isn’t a sportswear brand like Nike or Adidas, but it has a rich history in outdoor lifestyle, from its catalog photoshoots to its product. Similar to Ralph Lauren, it is known as a heritage, Americana-style brand. But with Ralph dominating Team USA, what else was there to do?
J. Crew instead leaned into the “après” part of ski with a collection of themed sweaters and other clothing. The brand popped up with U.S. Ski at a U.S.-based competition, but also made sure to capitalize on U.S. Ski athletes’ presence in Milan. While athletes were decked out in performance gear, their friends and family could wear J. Crew U.S. Ski apparel. That was the case for skier Tess Johnson, whose family wore the merch in Milan.
Now that the Games are over, J. Crew CEO Libby Wadle has had a chance to reflect on what worked. (Including her newfound love for moguls, Johnson’s event.) She says this was the “highest-performing collaboration” J. Crew has had for ecommerce in two years. J. Crew’s website drew 20% more traffic than during a typical product launch. Right now, J. Crew is only a U.S. retailer. And thanks to this partnership, “we’re seeing J. Crew on a global platform more than we have in a very long time,” Wadle told me. “We’re seeing our name up there in a way that hadn’t been talked about in a long time. To be on a stage like this, with other incredible global brands is really incredible for us.”
The key, Wadle says, is “not trying to be something we’re not” and finding “connectivity” to what J. Crew is today. “Push outside the box a little and find those moments that are authentic,” Wadle advises other brands trying to figure out how to be part of a major cultural moment. Most J. Crew customers aren’t competing for gold—but they do enjoy “a great ski vacation.”
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
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PARTING WORDS
"You can go fast alone, but you will never go far."
— Dr. Shereene Idriss, founder of a namesake skincare brand, on the value of building with a trusted team
