J. Crew Group, Inc. · New York, NY United States ·(NYSE: JCG)

The crews depicted in the flashy catalogs of the J. Crew Group are far from motley. The retailer is known for its preppy fashions, including jeans, khakis, and other basic (but pricey) items sold to young professionals through its catalogs, Web sites, and some 300 retail and outlet stores in the US under the J. Crew, crewcuts (for kids), and Madewell banners. Madewell, launched in 2006, is a women's-only collection of hip, casual clothes. Asian contractors produce about 80% of the company's merchandise. Chief executive Millard "Mickey" Drexler, recruited in 2003 from The Gap to revive J. Crew's ailing fortunes, has led a retail renaissance at the firm, marked by taking the company public in mid-2006. To read the full description, subscribe now.