J.Crew - "Shiny Ponies" and Italy.

I saw this short clip about Jenna Lyons and her shoe collection and had to write about it.Jenna is the President and Executive Creative Director of J.Crew.   She has been with the company for twenty years.Her aesthetic is deeply embedded in the company's DNA.They do take fashion risks but haven't forgotten their core customers who love J. Crew for its cool take on classic style.  It's the only American store where I can find jeans that fit my body.  J.Crew does have killer sales, which is great for some of their pricier items.In the film, Jenna  briefly explains how their shoes evolve from a drawing to the store.  The shoes are hand-made in Italy.[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EKTx5on6U8&w=560&h=315]Yes, you could buy knock-offs of these shoes at Zara for a fraction of the cost.While the CEO of Zara is worth 57 BILLION  (the third richest man in the world) how much does Zara pay the people who make their shoes? How long would the shoes last?I doubt they are paid anything close  to what the workers in Pisa, Italy are making for J. Crew.  The manufacturing sector in Italy, along with other Western countries, is facing serious challenges in a global economy.However, one advantage Italy has is her artisans.  There's a reason why companies from all over world chose to have certain items, like shoes, made in Italy.Fast fashion is here to stay, but I'm glad there are companies like J. Crew who care about quality and profits.