Brendon Babenzien Exits J.Crew Men's Role to Focus on Noah

When Brendon Babenzien revived J.Crew menswear with barn coats, rollneck sweaters, Giant-fit chinos and a shift toward wide-leg, relaxed trousers, he made classic prep feel current — and now he is leaving to run Noah full time, a move some will call a homecoming and others an abrupt withdrawal from a recovery story.

Babenzien announced his departure in mid-February via Noah’s Instagram account; Business of Fashion reported, “Babenzien announced his exit Wednesday in an Instagram post shared by Noah, which he said would receive his full attention from now on.” Coverage published February 17, 2026 noted the exit is effective immediately, with transition details described as forthcoming.

J.Crew hired Babenzien in 2021 as a strategic play to remake its menswear after Chapter 11 reorganization. Business of Fashion and WWD cite July 2021 as his start date under CEO Libby Wadle, while some social summaries listed May 2021. Using July 2021 as the benchmark, his tenure ran roughly four and a half years; his first menswear collection for J.Crew reached stores in July 2022.

Creatively, Babenzien leaned into neo-prep and Americana. He reintroduced J.Crew staples such as Giant-fit chinos and pressed barn coats, pushed suits, shoes and cashmere back into the assortment, and expanded relaxed silhouettes and technical fabrics. He also staged high-profile collaborations with Union and Engineered Garments and opened a dedicated J.Crew men’s concept store at 19 Bond Street in NoHo in July 2024; WWD reported that the site “emphasized the best of J.Crew men’s. That means specialty sportswear pieces, limited-edition items and curated vintage J.Crew pieces, highlighting the quality and timelessness of our products, as well as our best expression of suits, shoes and cashmere.”

Babenzien’s creative arc traces to his decade-plus role at Supreme, where he helped broaden the brand’s cultural reach, and to Noah, the label he cofounded with his wife Estelle Bailey‑Babenzien roughly 10 years ago. Hypebeast noted simply that “Babenzien will continue to run his own label, Noah,” and outlets described the move as the conclusion of a chapter in which he reshaped the identity of the classic American retailer.

J.Crew’s leadership remains in place under CEO Libby Wadle, with Olympia Gayot continuing to lead the women’s business, and the company has not named a successor for J.Crew Men’s. A J.Crew spokesperson framed the departure this way: “Brendon Babenzien will be completing his work with J.Crew and shifting his focus to his brand, Noah. We are grateful for the contributions he made during his time with the company and for the vision he brought to J.Crew Men’s. His influence helped define an important chapter for the brand, and we wish him continued success in the future.”

Babenzien leaves a clear creative imprint — Puck’s Lauren Sherman called him “at the forefront of the recent return to traditional American dressing, and also gave permission to straight men to wear straight-leg pants once again” — and he exits as Noah prepares for a renewed push with its cofounder back at the helm. For J.Crew, the immediate task is operational: name a successor and decide whether to double down on the heritage-driven, collaboration-forward direction he championed or to chart a new course for the men’s business.