Last month, J. Crew sparked controversy when it featured Jenna Lyons, president and creative director of the company, painting her son’s toenails pink. The picture appeared in the company’s monthly newsletter with the caption “”Lucky for me I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink,” along with “Toenail painting is way more fun in neon.”. The company is, once again, courting ire from social conservatives with their latest gay-themed marketing.

In their May 2011 catalogue, the preppy retailer features one of their in-house designers, Somsack Sikhounmuong, posing with his boyfriend, Micah. The two look adorably cute together, dressed in their J. Crew finest with the caption “Happy Together“. The company is staying relatively quiet with this matter and only stated that it did not want to comment on what some saw as a new rainbow campaign. That said, their new imagery has been applauded by gay organizations for its quiet strong message.


The love-themed issue also features other types of love. “The Men’s Shop” section in the back of the 135-page catalog they also show another J. Crew’s in-house stylist with his 9-month-old son, bearded brothers, a designer with his dog and also the photographer’s African-American husband (Darrick) and their Asian daughter (Dashiel), headlined as “Family Matters,”

I love, love, love J. Crew’s approach. Normally, retailers feel they have to appeal to the gay market by pimping out some hot shirtless model to sell the product. I’m talking to you Abercrombie & Fitch. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for that approach too, but showcasing a real-life couple (interracial to boot) as “Happy Together” is a nice and refreshing change. Don’t you agree.

Here are some more pictures from their latest catalogue.

How adorable is this picture? LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

I’m sorta digging the brown suit on the left.

Since he was sorta cropped in the main pic, I thought I’d show a full pic of Somsack.

Check out what J. Crew has to offer for men this season. Head over to http://www.jcrew.com/mens-clothing.jsp to get your shop on. Shop responsibly.

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