J.Crew is finally back (?)
J.Crew is finally back (?)
Reviewing J.Crew's Autumn men's collection, and what Brendon Babenzian has done at the helm (thus far).
14 months after J.Crew announced they hired Brendon Babenzian (founder of Noah NY) to sit at the helm of Men’s Design, we finally get a proper look at what he’s been up to.
Some context
A lot of us look fondly on the liquor store days with Todd Snyder and into the early Frank Muytjens era, a time when J.Crew had a clear identity. Oh, and their collabs were on fire!
The more we got into 2010s, though, the wheels started to come off.
J.Crew got run over trying to over expand in a world with new consumption habits, emerging social platforms, compete with fast fashion trends (Zara, HM), and ultimately a pandemic. Just TWO YEARS AGO they declared bankruptcy! So yeah, a hell of a lot’s happened in a short amount of time.
And so here we are.
Personally, I’m glad J.Crew took time to debut a proper collection, rather than forcing Brendon to rush and duck tape the shit that’s already broken. It’s allowed us all (consumers) to reset our palette for what the nostalgia of J.Crew might could be in 2022.
Here’s a quote I liked in an interview with Brendon on the company’s website…
“I’ve always surfed, snowboarded and skateboarded. Just being outside generally is something that I think human beings at their core need. We’re a part of the natural world.
A big thing we talk about in design here is that there’s always been this ‘getting out’ element to the brand, whether that’s walking the dog or going for a hike, which we’re trying to recapture.”
Headed towards playfulness and freedom. An appreciation for nostalgia and prep mixed with an active spirit.
This era is a reflection of Brendon and his lifestyle, forward-thinking and bolder.
My picks — a look at the collection
Here are some of my favorite pieces from their Fall Arrivals 🍁
A few callouts
The barn jacket is as iconic a piece as it gets in J.Crewland, so you gotta resecpt that they brought it back (albeit a remixed version).
The footwear is especially strong. They’ve got their own Danner-esque boot design, and I love them throwing in the caramel suede Paraboots too!
They’re giving workwear chinos another spin( wide leg this time) which you love to see. Especially after bonobos ruined them!
I also respect the hell of them bringing back a paisley tie. Pure vintage dad vibes.
Lady, I noticed a nice little belt loop tuck, which reminded me of old school Daniel Day-Lewis style and the way he always ticked his belt like that.
Fun to see them throw that in the editorial shoot.
Look. Overall, I’m pleased with this collection. More than anything, it’s a reset we needed. A palette cleanser in the best of ways.
It’s a nod to the nostalgia of old J.Crew while infusing hints of modern genreless era of menswear we’re currently in.
Whether it’s sustainable for them is another question. Ultimately, I want to see J.Crew win. Mostly because I wore this shit all growing up and it’s part of my early clothing DNA.
And I believe something is different in the halls of J.Crew right now, so let’s all appreciate that for what it is.