J.Crew is serious about its suits.
The fashion brand tapped New York-based comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy — comprised of writers and performers Ben Marshall, John Higgins and Martin Herlihy, who rose to fame on Saturday Night Live — to front its newest campaign to shine a spotlight on fall suits. But it makes use of their talents beyond being just pretty faces: “We take suiting seriously” pairs still photography shot by Luke Gilford with a comedy short directed by Herlihy and penned by the trio and Brady Lees.
In the clip, Marshall, Higgins and Herlihy are reporting for their first day of work in the Suit Shop at J.Crew’s 19 Bond Street store in New York City, and needless to say, it’s full of awkward hijinks as they engage with three male customers while trying to help them find their perfect fits. After they make it past some obstacles and memorable interactions, they eventually do in J.Crew’s three suit fits: Ludlow Slim Fit, Crosby Classic Fit and Kenmare Relaxed Fit. Marshall also finds his way into a J.Crew tuxedo and channels 007 in the process. See the full clip below.
“J.Crew has a long history of helping people find their first suit,” said J.Crew’s chief marketing officer Julia Collier. “With Ben, John and Martin, we wanted to bring some personality and humor to that experience. They took the idea of a day in the J.Crew Suit Shop and made it entirely theirs, while showing how versatile and well-fitted our suits are.”
As for those still shots, photographer and filmmaker Gilford shot the guys in New York’s Financial District in a range of styles and poses meant to evoke the “energy and attitude” of the city in the 1990s. Gilford’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Vogue.
“Wearing a suit makes me feel like an adult,” said Marshall. “Now I have to change everything else in my life to catch up to that feeling.” Added Higgins: “I think a good suit should make people assume you know what you’re talking about. These do that, which is very helpful for us.”
Herlihy had more to say about the creative as he was both in front of and behind the camera: “Directing this video for J.Crew was a joy and an honor. Two of the actors were pretty unprofessional, but I will keep them anonymous.”
The three writers and performers wrote sketches and delivered many viral videos during their time on SNL. Herlihy and Higgins have since left the show, while Marshall remains on staff and was upped to castmember status.
