Share this article J. Crew — a label once professed dead after a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, then reinstated — is determined to reinvent the wheel that once placed its Ludlow suits at the pinnacle of men’s fashion. But it needs a revolutionary force to redirect its central design vision in order to remain afloat. After several executive shifts over the last five years, the company’s efforts to change its course were to no avail; however, the brand seems ready to switch gears entirely with the appointment of Brendon Babenzien — the co-founder of Noah and former lead designer for Supreme — to creative director of J. Crew Men’s. Made official on Monday, May 17, the streetwear trailblazer now faces the task of reviving the it-factor that once made J. Crew a top-tier menswear label in the early 2000s. The question is: can he do it?