After five years as men's creative director at J.Crew, Brendon Babenzien is leaving the brand to focus on Noah, his own NYC-based label. Over the course of his tenure at the legendary American retailer, Babenzien managed to nod to the tastes of hard-boiled menswear enthusiasts and translate them to the masses—educating everyday shoppers on the virtues of tweed blazers, pleated trousers, and, yes, pants that don’t taper like an ice cream cone. He brought back the iconic oarsman logo, revived the Wallace & Barnes sub-label, and helped open the new men’s flagship store on Bond Street, complete with a coffee bar and the occasional celebrity sit-down.
J.Crew has yet to announce a replacement, and we don't expect Babenzien's legacy to be erased from its archives—or its store shelves—any time soon. In case you're worried, though, here are 5 defining pieces we'd familiarize yourself with from his run at J.Crew, a period that left the mass-market stalwart sharper, looser, and far more interesting than how he found it.
The Genuinely Viral Chinos…
When J.Crew finally hoists the Giant-Fit chinos into the rafters like the jersey of a retired NBA great, Kenny Loggins' “This Is It” should be blaring on the speakers. In the last five years, I can count on one hand the menswear releases that have truly gone viral from a brand of J.Crew's size—and this one isn’t just on the list, it’s fighting for the top spot. Turns out, all it took to get the mil-spec purists foaming at the mouth was a straight-from-the-archives silhouette, a sturdy 8.5-oz. cotton twill, and a duo of proper sewn cuffs. I’d say they deserve a slow clap, but they’re still selling like hotcakes five years after debuting. The applause feels implied.
…and the Oxford Shirt to Match
Think of the Giant-Fit Oxford as a direct byproduct of the Giant-Fit chino—a couple of pant legs widen, and suddenly guys across the country are reevaluating the proportions of their entire closets. Most vintage Oxfords were cut roomier to begin with, designed to tuck cleanly into loose, languorous khakis exactly like the ones J.Crew made in the ‘90s. So when the brand brought the bigger silhouette back, it wasn’t entirely a gamble—and its success wasn't entirely a surprise. You can thank Babenzien and his team for the glut of similarly-proportioned shirts on the market right now.
The Suit for Guys Who Want to Wear One
For a long stretch during the aughts, J.Crew's Ludlow suit was ubiquitous. If you needed a slim, affordable two-piece you could grab off the rack and bring to your tailor for a quick hem, there were few better options. Then, in 2022, the brand introduced the Kenmare, a decidedly laid-back suit designed for guys who wanted to wear them. The trousers sit higher on the rise, giving you more room through the seat, with a straight leg and a slight taper from the knee down—tailored, but not painted-on. Finding a good suit under $1,000 is the stuff of countless Reddit side-quests, but the Kenmare makes it a heckuva lot easier.
The Countryside Remix
Here’s a funny tidbit of menswear lore: long before Sid Mashburn presided over his own growing empire of stores, he introduced the J.Crew barn jacket as a young designer for the brand in the ‘80s. The 1983 version—brushed cotton-canvas, classic brown color—might be the original, but the 1989 counterpart rereleased during Babenzien’s tenure pays faithful tribute to the source material. This one is dyed with indigo, so it’ll break in like your favorite pair of jeans, and it’s bound to fly off the shelves faster than a pheasant in the countryside.
The Catalog-Era Classic
From the outset, Babenzien and Co. savvily homed in on J.Crew’s early catalog years as a golden age for the brand, and the rollneck as an indelible icon of the era. Today, J.Crew’s sturdy cotton reproduction still boasts that telltale easy roll at the neckline, a relaxed body, and subtly rolled hem at the waist. Throw it on with pleated chinos and moc-toe shoes and you’re one beachy frolic away from landing in one of the brand’s legendary ‘80s campaigns.