**Exhibit 10.1**

 
|   | Date: |
|--------|-------|

 

Incentive Stock Option Granted

 

by

 

THE J. JILLGROUP, INC.

(hereinaftercalled the “Company”)

 

to

 

 

(hereinaftercalled the “Holder”)

 

underthe

 

2001 INCENTIVE ANDNON-STATUTORY STOCK OPTION PLAN

 

WITNESSETH:

 

For valuableconsideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company herebygrants to the Holder the following option:

 

FIRST:  Subject to the terms and conditionshereinafter set forth, the Holder is hereby given the right and option topurchase from the Company an aggregate of                shares of Common Stock of the Company, par value $.01 per share, at the timeand in the manner hereinafter stated.  Schedule Aattached hereto and hereby incorporated herein sets forth, with respect to thisoption:  (i) its expiration date, (ii) itsexercise price per share, (iii) its vesting rate, and (iv) certainother terms and conditions applicable to this option and incorporated herein.

 

This option isand shall be subject in every respect to the provisions of The J. Jill Group, Inc.2001 Incentive and Non-Statutory Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”), as amendedfrom time to time, which is incorporated herein by reference and made a parthereof.  In the event of any conflict orinconsistency between the terms hereof and those of the Plan, the latter shallprevail.  References herein to theCommittee shall mean the Committee as defined in the Plan.

 

This optionshall be exercised by the delivery of written notice to the Company (the “Notice”)setting forth the number of shares with respect to which the option is to beexercised and the address to which the certificates for such shares are to bemailed, together with payment for such shares by one or more of the followingmethods: (i) in cash, by certified or bank check or other instrumentacceptable to the Committee; (ii) by the Holder’s delivering to theCompany

 

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a properlyexecuted exercise notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker topromptly deliver to the Company cash or a check payable and acceptable to theCompany to pay the purchase price; *provided*that in the event the Holder chooses to pay the purchase price as so provided,the Holder and the broker shall comply with such procedures and enter into suchagreements of indemnity and other agreements as the Committee shall prescribeas a condition of such payment procedure; and *providedfurther* that the Company need not act upon such exercise noticeuntil the Company receives full payment of the exercise price; or (iii) byany other means (including, without limitation, by delivery of a promissorynote of the Holder payable on such terms as are specified by the Committee; *provided*, however, that the interest rateborne by such note shall not be less than the lowest applicable federal rate,as defined in Section 1247(d) of the Internal Revenue Code) which theCommittee determines are consistent with the purpose of the Plan and withapplicable laws and regulations.

 

If the Holderof this option is an executive officer, director or beneficial owner of more thanten percent (10%) of the Common Stock of the Company, any shares of stockissuable upon exercise of this option may not be sold or transferred (exceptthat such shares may be issued upon exercise of this option) by such Holder fora period of six months following the grant of this option.

 

SECOND:  The Company, in its discretion, may file aregistration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933 toregister shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan.  At any time at which such a registrationstatement is not in effect, it shall be a condition precedent to any exerciseof this option that the Holder (or if any other individual or individuals areexercising this option, such individual or individuals) shall deliver to theCompany an investment letter in form and substance satisfactory to the Companyand its counsel which shall contain, among other matters, a statement inwriting that the option is then being exercised only with a view to investmentin, and not with a view to the distribution of, the shares with respect towhich the option is then being exercised; that the Holder and/or the Holder’sattorneys, accountants, and/or analysts (or the individual or individualsexercising this option and/or his or their attorneys, accountants and/oranalysts) have fully investigated the Company and the business and financialconditions concerning it and have knowledge of the Company’s then currentcorporate activities and financial condition; and that the Holder believes thatthe nature and amount of the shares being purchased by him/her are consistentwith his/her investment objectives, abilities and resources.

 

THIRD:  As promptly as practicable after receipt ofthe Notice and payment described in paragraph FIRST and, if required as a conditionto exercise, the investment letter described in paragraph SECOND, the Companyshall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Holder (or if any otherindividual or individuals are exercising this option, to such individual orindividuals) at the address specified in the Notice a certificate orcertificates for the number of shares with respect to which the option is thenbeing exercised, registered in the name or names of the individual orindividuals exercising the option, either alone or jointly with another personor persons with rights of survivorship, as the individual or individualsexercising the option shall prescribe in writing to the Company at or prior tosuch purchase; provided, however, that such delivery shall be deemed effectedfor all purposes when the Company or a stock transfer agent shall havedeposited such certificate or certificates in the United States mail, addressedto the Holder (or such individual or individuals) at the address so specified;and provided further that if any law or

 

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regulation ororder of the Securities and Exchange Commission or other body havingjurisdiction in the premises shall require the Company or the Holder (or theindividual or individuals exercising this option) to take any action inconnection with the shares then being purchased, the date for the delivery ofthe certificates for such shares shall be extended until such action shall betaken and completed, it being understood that the Company shall have noobligation to take and complete any such action.

 

FOURTH:  The existence of this option shall not affectin any way the right or power of the Company or its stockholders to make orauthorize any or all adjustments, recapitalizations, reorganizations or otherchanges in the Company’s capital structure or its business, or any merger orconsolidation of the Company, or any issue of Common Stock, or any issue ofbonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stock ahead of or affectingthe Common Stock or the rights thereof, or the dissolution or liquidation ofthe Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets orbusiness, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similarcharacter or otherwise.

 

If the Companyshall effect a subdivision or consolidation of shares or other capitalreadjustment, the payment of a stock dividend, or other increase or reductionof the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding, without receivingcompensation therefor in money, services or property, then the number, class,and per share price of shares of stock subject to this option shall beappropriately adjusted in such a manner as to entitle the Holder to receiveupon exercise of this option, for the same aggregate consideration, the sametotal number and class of shares as the Holder would have received as a resultof the event requiring the adjustment had the Holder exercised this option infull immediately prior to such event.

 

After a mergerof one or more corporations into the Company, or after a merger orconsolidation of the Company and one or more corporations in which (i) theCompany shall be the surviving corporation, and (ii) the stockholders ofthe Company immediately prior to such merger or consolidation own after such mergeror consolidation shares representing at least fifty percent of the voting powerof the Company, the Holder shall, at no additional cost, be entitled uponexercise of this option to receive in lieu of the number of shares as to whichthis option shall then be so exercisable, the number and class of shares ofstock or other securities, cash or property to which the Holder would have beenentitled pursuant to the terms of the agreement of merger or consolidation if,immediately prior to such merger or consolidation, the Holder had been theholder of record of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number ofshares as to which this option shall be so exercised.

 

If the Companyis merged into or consolidated with another corporation under circumstanceswhere the Company is not the surviving corporation, or if there is a merger orconsolidation where the Company is the surviving corporation but thestockholders of the Company immediately prior to such merger or consolidationdo not own after such merger or consolidation shares representing at leastfifty percent of the voting power of the Company, or if the Company isliquidated, or sells or otherwise disposes of substantially all its assets toanother corporation while this option remains outstanding, (i) subject tothe provisions of clause (iii) below, after the effective date of suchmerger, consolidation, liquidation, sale or other disposition, as the case maybe, the Holder of this option shall be entitled, upon exercise of this option,to receive, in lieu of shares of Common Stock, shares of such stock or suchother

 

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securities,cash or property as the holders of shares of Common Stock received pursuant tothe terms of the merger, consolidation, liquidation, sale or other disposition;(ii) the Committee may accelerate the time for exercise of this option, sothat from and after a date prior to the effective date of such merger,consolidation, liquidation, sale or other disposition, as the case may be,specified by the Committee, exercisable in full; or (iii) this option maybe cancelled by the Committee as of the effective date of any such merger,consolidation, liquidation, sale or other disposition provided that (x) noticeof such cancellation shall be given to the Holder and (y) the Holder shall havethe right to exercise this option to the extent that the same is thenexercisable or, if the Committee shall have accelerated the time for exerciseof this option pursuant to clause (ii) above, in full during the 30-dayperiod preceding the effective date of such merger, consolidation, liquidation,sale or other disposition.

 

Except ashereinbefore expressly provided, the issue by the Company of shares of stock ofany class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, forcash or property or for labor or services, either upon direct sale or upon theexercise of rights or warrants to subscribe therefor, or upon conversion ofshares or obligations of the Company convertible into such shares or othersecurities, shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be madewith respect to, the number or price of shares of Common Stock then subject tothis option.

 

FIFTH:  No person shall, by virtue of the granting ofthis option to the Holder, be deemed to be a holder of any shares purchasableunder this option or to be entitled to the rights or privileges of a holder ofsuch shares unless and until this option has been exercised with respect tosuch shares and they have been issued pursuant to that exercise of this option.

 

The Companyshall, at all times while any portion of this option is outstanding, reserveand keep available, out of shares of its authorized and unissued stock orreacquired shares, a sufficient number of shares of its Common Stock to satisfythe requirements of this option; shall comply with the terms of this optionpromptly upon exercise of the option rights; and shall pay all fees or expensesnecessarily incurred by the Company in connection with the issuance and deliveryof shares pursuant to the exercise of this option.

 

SIXTH:  This option is not transferable by the Holderotherwise than by will or under the laws of descent and distribution; thegranting of this option shall not impose upon the Company any obligation toemploy or to continue to employ the Holder; and the right of the Company toterminate the employment of the Holder shall not be diminished or affected byreason of the fact that this option has been granted to such Holder.

 

This option isexercisable, during the Holder’s lifetime, only by the Holder, and by theHolder only while the Holder is an employee of the Company, except that in theevent the employment of the Holder terminates for any reason, other than forcause as determined by the Company and other than in the event of death orretirement in good standing from the employ of the Company for reasons of ageor disability under the then established rules of the Company, the Holdershall have the right to exercise this option within thirty (30) days after thedate the Holder ceases to be an employee of the Company (but not later than theexpiration date of this option) with respect to the shares which werepurchasable by the Holder by exercise of this option at the time of suchcessation of employment.  As used in thisparagraph, “cause” shall mean (i) any material breach by the Holder of anyagreement to which the Holder and the

 

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Company areboth parties, (ii) any act or omission to act by the Holder which may havea material and adverse effect on the Company’s business or on the Holder’sability to perform services for the Company, including, without limitation, thecommission of any crime (other than ordinary traffic violations), or (iii) anymaterial misconduct or material neglect of duties by the Holder in connectionwith the business or affairs of the Company or any affiliate of the Company.

 

In the event of the retirement of the Holder in good standing from theemploy of the Company for reasons of age or disability under the thenestablished rules of the Company, this option shall terminate on theearlier of its expiration date and a date ninety (90) days after the Holder’sretirement.  After such retirement theHolder shall have the right, at any time prior to such termination, to exercisethis option to the extent the Holder was entitled to exercise such optionimmediately prior to such retirement.

 

In the eventof the death of the Holder while the Holder is in the employ of the Company andbefore the expiration date of this option, this option shall terminate on theearlier of its expiration date and a date one (1) year after hisdeath.  After the death of the Holder,the Holder’s executors, administrators or any person or persons to whom theHolder’s option may be transferred by will or by the laws of descent anddistribution shall have the right, at any time prior to such termination, toexercise such option to the extent the Holder was entitled to exercise suchoption at the time of the Holder’s death.

 

An employmentrelationship between the Company and the Holder shall be deemed to exist duringany period in which the Holder is employed by the Company or by any parent orsubsidiary corporation of the Company.

 

SEVENTH:  Any notice to be given to the Companyhereunder shall be deemed sufficient if addressed to the Company and deliveredby hand or by mail to the Treasurer of the Company, 4 Batterymarch Park,Quincy, Massachusetts 02169-7468 or such other address as the Company mayhereafter designate.

 

Any notice tobe given to the Holder hereunder shall be deemed sufficient if addressed to anddelivered in person to the Holder or when deposited in the mail, postageprepaid, addressed to the Holder at the Holder’s address furnished to the Company.

 

EIGHTH:  This option is subject to all laws,regulations and orders of any governmental authority which may be applicablethereto and, notwithstanding any of the provisions hereof, the Holder agreesthat the Holder will not exercise the option granted hereby nor will theCompany be obligated to issue or sell any shares of stock hereunder if theexercise thereof or the issuance or sale of such shares, as the case may be,would constitute a violation by the Holder or the Company of any such law,regulation or order or any provision thereof. The Company shall not be obligated to take any affirmative action inorder to cause the exercise of this option or the issuance of shares pursuanthereto to comply with any such law, regulation, order or provision.

 

NINTH: This option shall be governed by, and construed and enforced inaccordance with, the substantive laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

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IN WITNESSWHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be executed in its name andon its behalf as of the date first above written.

 

[Seal]

 

 
| ATTEST:   | THE J. JILL GROUP, INC. |
|-----------|-------------------------|
|      |                    |
|      |                    |
|      |                    | By: |   |   |
| Secretary |                    | Its |
|           |                         |  |  |  |

 

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SCHEDULE A TO INCENTIVESTOCK OPTION

THE J. JILLGROUP, INC.

 
| **Date of Grant:**                                                  |       |       |       |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|------------|------------|
|                                                                |       |       |       |
| **Name of  Holder:**                                                |       |       |       |
|                                                                |       |       |       |
| **Address:**                                                        |       |       |       |
|                                                                |       |       |       |
| **City,  State, Zip:**                                              |       |       |       |
|                                                                |       |       |       |
| **Social Security Number:**                                         |       |       |       |
|                                                                |       |       |       |
| **Maximum number of shares for which this  option is exercisable:** | ** ** | ** ** | ** ** |
|                                                                |       |       |       |
| **Exercise (purchase) price per share:**                            |       | $          |       |   |
|                                                                |       |       |       |
| **Expiration date of option**:                                      |       |       |       |
|                                                                     |            |            |            |  |

 

**Vesting Rate:**  The right and option to purchase any or allof the shares subject to this option shall be vested in full as of the date ofgrant.

 

**Otherterms and conditions:** The Holder agrees that for a period of up to one hundred eighty (180)days from the effective date of any registration of securities of the Company(upon request of the Company or the underwriters managing any underwrittenoffering of the Company’s securities), he will not sell, make any short sale orloan of, grant any option for the purchase of, or otherwise dispose of anyshares of Common Stock held by him without the prior written consent of theCompany or such underwriters, as the case may be.

 

Theundersigned Holder acknowledges receipt of the stock option of which this Schedule Ais a part.

 

 
|   |                    |   |
|--------|-------------------------|--------|
|   | Holder’s Signature |

 

A-1

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