J.Jill Modernizes Denim Collection to Expand Customer Base

For J.Jill, denim is a category worth exploring further.

As a staple in women’s closets across generations, jeans open the door for the Quincy, Mass.-based lifestyle brand to broaden its appeal and cast a wider net. The brand currently caters to women ages 45–64.

“Denim is an opportunity for us to celebrate the multi-generational women that are J.Jill’s customers and [our] future customers,” Kimberly Wallengren, J.Jill senior vice president and chief marketing officer, told SJ Denim.

While denim is a foundational piece for J.Jill’s customers, who trust the brand for fit-consistency and fabrics that retain their shape, Wallengren said the range was limited. Last month, the brand expanded and elevated its denim program by introducing new modern fits, washes and fabrics.

Highlights in the collection include the denim trouser, barrel-leg jean and modern fit wide-leg, straight-leg and flare jeans. New fabrics include a cotton, Tencel and silk blend, which adds drape to the trouser jean, and lighter denim for more multi-season wear.

“Across every fabric, the priority remained the same: a beautiful hand feel, movement, performance and an exceptional fit,” said Elliot Staples, J.Jill’s senior vice president and creative director.

Wallengren described the line as a reimagination of its existing collection rather than a total overhaul. The brand took special care to balance the collection with proven styles customers already love, like the Authentic Fit jean, with new items that appeal to women discovering the brand for the first time. More variety and options are win-wins for everyone.

Authentic Fit became the starting point for the collection, Staples said. From there, the team built a broader denim wardrobe, expanding into more leg shapes, silhouettes, fabrics and washes while maintaining the fit integrity that customers trust.

“We wanted to bring more versatility and modern styling options to the assortment, introducing trend-right silhouettes like the trouser jean and barrel while expanding denim into additional pieces beyond jeans,” Staples said. “Denim is a foundational part of the modern wardrobe, and we saw an opportunity to build on what J.Jill was already doing well and bring the category forward in a bigger way.”

Wallengren emphasized that the brand remains committed to its loyal customer base while also recognizing the potential to attract new demographics.

“That’s what we’re trying to do—to expand our offer to women who might not know about us right now or are going to be reintroduced to us. Perhaps they were shopping with us 15 years ago, and they might not be shopping with us right now. We have a great opportunity to reengage with those women,” she said.

Denim—and the common challenges of finding the perfect fit—is a proven icebreaker.

“Our customer is constantly telling us that fit is a barrier to buying denim. Other than swimwear, it’s probably one of the hardest things for women to buy,” Wallengren said. “And so, we started from this insight and wanted to solve that root problem: ‘I cannot find denim that fits my body.’ That’s why this expansion is important.”

Taking size, silhouette and fabric into consideration, the design team approached the collection as a solution to a real problem rather than an opportunity to capitalize on a trend.

“We undertook an extensive process to perfect both fit and fabric,” Staples said. “Starting with the proven foundation of our Authentic Fit, every new fit and silhouette was carefully refined and wear-tested internally, as well as with customers. The goal was to maintain the consistency and comfort our customers trust while evolving the collection to feel modern and versatile.”

Wallengren noted that it was also important for the brand to carry those insights onto the sales floor. Ahead of the launch, Wallengren said J.Jill’s store associates went through a course and have become “certified J.Jill denim stock fit stylists.

“They are truly experts in helping our customers find the right fit for them,” she said. “And I can tell you from my own personal experience… I worked with one of our store associates in the Columbus Avenue store, and she was incredibly helpful. She was very honest, and she problem-solved for me.” Wallengren said she ended up leaving the store with the last style she would ever think of trying on: the barrel fit.

Sometimes, all it takes is a little encouragement from a trusted voice to try something new. That’s the goal of J.Jill’s influencer marketing strategy for the collection. It marks the first time the brand has worked with influencers, another sign of its efforts to appeal to the elder millennial consumer.

“It was great because we worked with [women of] all different ages, all different body shapes, and really were able to show the depth of the collection. Also, having real people in our jeans, talking about our jeans and sharing their own styling point of view is really incredible,” Wallengren said.

Comfort and confidence are qualities that Wallengren hopes consumers take away from the new denim style. “This wasn’t just a product program or a marketing program,” she said. “This was a beautifully balanced program for our customer to have the right, perfect experience, so that buying denim isn’t as scary as some people think.”