For Alternatives to J. Crew, Try These 24 Startups on for Size in 2024

If you’ve become disillusioned with J. Crew, try these up-and-coming clothing brands for men and women on for size.

In Search of Alternatives to J. Crew

When the J. Crew Group Inc. announced it would seek bankruptcy protections on May 4, 2020 amid the COVID19 pandemic, it created uncertainty about what will happen to J. Crew’s online and physical stores and interest in alternative shopping options.

Yet 2021 and 2022 saw a dramatic rebound of the brand, including the settling in of a new CEO, a high profile hire in Brendon Babenzien and new pricing and stock.

Keep reading for a review of the retailer’s ups-and-downs, to discover the best alternatives to J. Crew, and to find a couple of reasons to give J. Crew another look.

Reviewing J. Crew’s Recent Struggles and Bankruptcy Filing

First, let’s review J. Crew’s recent turbulence.

In the summer of 2018, Khadeeja Safdar of the Wall Street Journal profiled the struggles of J. Crew. The brand’s social media accounts were “littered with complaints from angry shoppers” who had come to expect quality fabrics and flattering fits.

J. Crew had lost popular designer Jenna Lyons, and was portrayed in the press as listless. (For a time, Jenna was synonymous with J. Crew. Todd Snyder, one of my favorite menswear designers, told Fast Company back in 2013 that, “They should just call it Jenna Crew.”)

Soon after Safdar’s article, I authored the first version of the article that you are reading right now. In it, I wrote that I hoped new CEO James Brett would give the brand a makeover.

So much for that: In November 2018, Brett announced his departure from J. Crew.

Here’s quick timeline of what happened in the lead up to, and wake of, J. Crew’s decision to seek bankruptcy protection:

• On November 17, 2018, following Brett’s departure, the J. Crew Group announced that it would form an “Office of the CEO” comprised of a committee of Michael Nicholson, Adam Brotman, Lynda Markoe, and Libby Wadle. These four executives would captain the ship until a permanent replacement was found.
• By the spring of 2019, a replacement had still not been found after former Ralph Lauren Chief Stefan Larrson said no thanks to J. Crew.
• On April 11, 2019, in an SEC filing, J. Crew indicated that Michael Nicholson would remain interim CEO for the time being, and also announced that Brotman would leave the company.
• In May 2019, with the company still without a permanent CEO, Vanity Fair observed snarkily that, “the only discernible feeling the company has evoked in recent months is ennui.”
• In January 2020, J. Crew announced it had picked former Nike and Victoria Secret executive Jan Singer as its permanent CEO.
• On May 4, 2020, buffeted by the coronavirus shutdown, J. Crew announced it would file for bankruptcy protection.
• On September 10, 2020, the J. Crew Group announced that it had emerged from bankruptcy with Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C. as the majority owner of the company, poised to concentrate on “delivering iconic product, elevating the brand experience, and creating a seamless shopping experience across brick and mortar, direct-to-consumer, and e-commerce.”
• On November 24, 2020, J. Crew announced that Jan Singer “has elected to pursue other endeavors” and would leave the company. J. Crew appointed Libby Wadle CEO, who would also continue in her prior role as Madewell CEO.
• In September 2020, J. Crew emerged from bankruptcy proceedings, and began an inspiring rebuild under CEO Libby Wadle.

The Renaissance Underway at J. Crew

It had to have been hard for a brand to find its voice amid so much change in 2020.

J. Crew appeared to struggle as it entered into and recovered from bankruptcy. I recall searching for their signature broken-in t-shirts and finding a horribly scant selection and needing to “pre-order” those t-shirts that they offered while waiting several months to receive them. (I wasn’t particularly inclined to pre-pay for merchandise from a company in bankruptcy proceedings.)

Yet the past few years has seen a renaissance at J. Crew.

For one, J. Crew has taken several steps to solidify their personnel, appointing Madewell chief Libby Wadle as CEO following the departure of Jan Stringer in November 2020.

Then, in May 2021, J. Crew brought onboard Brendon Babenzien as lead menswear designer, who had previously founded Noah NY clothing. Babenzien released his inaugural menswear collection for J. Crew in the summer of 2022 to much acclaim from the likes of GQ and Die Workwear.

And those days of pre-ordering clothing months in advance appear to be largely behind the company.

J. Crew’s inventory appears to be replenished, with a rainbow array of broken-in t-shirts available in classic, slim and tall, along with a refreshed lineup of cashmere sweaters, dresses, pants and all of the elevated wardrobe staples you would expect from the iconic brand. (I purchased a linen sweater, several great-looking broken-in t-shirts, colorful striped socks, boxers and a striped cashmere sweater recently.)

In addition, the company’s Wallace and Barnes workwear line still gets high marks and the J. Crew Ludlow Suit remains a staple in many a man’s closet for good reason — it’s clean, simple and slimming.  J. Crew also remains one of the best options for preppy clothing for men and women on the internet.

So while this article is focused on alternatives to J. Crew, I’m increasingly excited about more good things to come from the brand.

The Best Alternatives to J. Crew

Here at Modern Fellows, my goal is to know innovative clothing brands who are helping men and women dress sharp in the digital age.

While the company adjusts, here are some brands like J Crew to consider for high-quality clothing for men and women:

Alex Mill

Strong J. Crew influences for women and men. Alex Mill has serious ties to J. Crew. Founded in 2012 by Alexander Drexler, the son of J. Crew’s former CEO Mickey Drexler, Alex Mill enlisted the services of former J. Crew and Madewell designer Somsack Sikhounmuong to relaunch the brand in February 2019.

Back in 2012, the younger Drexler first launched the brand with a focus on men’s shirts, but the company’s 2019 relaunch brought a full line of elevated basics for men and women, including tees, sweatshirts and sweaters, outerwear, pants, shorts, shoes and accessories, as well as dresses, jumpsuits and skirts for women. (They have a particularly nice selection of striped t-shirts.)

In addition to selling direct to consumers, retailers including Mr. Porter, Stag Provisions (which, by the way, is one of the greatest independent clothing retailers in the United States) and Nordstrom stock Alex Mill.

Faherty Brand

Heritage-quality cornerstone pieces for your stylish smart-casual wardrobe.

Faherty is an elevated alternative to J. Crew that skews a bit more laid-back casual and California-cool while pursuing sustainable and ethical fashion.

This wonderful family company is led by CEO Alex Faherty, brother and Chief Creative Officer Mike Faherty, and Chief Impact Officer Kery Docherty. I’ve grown to love this brand, which certainly costs a bit more than J. Crew, but whose articles have become cornerstones of my wardrobe.

The company utilizes better-for-the-earth materials like organic cotton, ethically sourced cashmere, recycled polyester, linen, and hemp, and looks to minimize the use of toxic dyes and water. Faherty is a partner of 1% for the planet and Bluesign, and is a terrific example of a sustainable clothing brand.

I had a chance to interview CEO Alex Faherty for an in-depth feature, “The Essential 2023 Faherty Brand Review,” in which he told me that,

I would always recommend the Legend Sweater Shirt [as the first article of clothing for a consumer who is new to Faherty]. It’s personally one of my favorites. It is a classic style that comes in both men’s and women’s and is a favorite of our customers.

The shirt is so comfortable and soft and becomes an instant favorite that can be worn throughout the year as a great layering option. I think this style really speaks to the brand’s ability to make better products that you will own for years to come and are high quality. 

Alex Faherty, Chief Executive Officer, Faherty, in an interview with Modern Fellows

Beyond the Legend sweater shirt, check out with Fahety’s broader “Legend Collection” for women and men, which show cases some of their signature pieces, including sweater dresses and comfy shirt jackets for women and men.

My only nit is that Faherty sells its pants with one standard inseam rather than offering multiple sizes for the short and tall among us, though they offer free hemming via Hemster.

Everlane

Solid basics at a fair price for women and men. California startup Everlane promises “radical transparency” into its supply chain practices.

I like the visibility founder Michael Preysman provides as he emphasizes the benefits of cutting out the middleman and delivering minimalist, modern clothing for women and men.

In Modern Fellows’ list of the best online destinations to shop for clothing, I wrote that:

“Everlane makes standout and reasonably-priced men’s wardrobe staples including soft t-shirts, super-comfortable cashmere crew and v-neck sweaters, fleece pants, backpacks and outerwear.”

Everlane also sells a small-but-excellent collection of loungewear, athleisure and activewear for women and men, and is a solid choice for shirt jackets, shackets and chore coats for women and men.

Nordstrom

Nordstrom is one of my favorite one-stop-shops for discovering innovative brands and interesting alternatives to J. Crew. Nordstrom’s intuitive and easy-to-navigate online shop, free shipping and free returns, and stellar customer service makes it a hassle-free and often-costless way to try out a number of new brands at the same time.

Nordstrom stocks many of the brands on this list, including Alex Mill, Boden, Bonobos, Club Monaco, Madewell and Outerknown.

The Seattle-based retailer also carries a number of other innovative direct-to-consumer retailers worth discovering like AllSaints, Cotton Citizen, Faherty, the Russell Wilson-backed Good Man Brand, Marine Layer, Norse Projects, Outdoor Voices, PrAna, Public Rec, Rag and Bone, Rhone, Suit Supply, Tommy John, and Urban Outfitters’ BDG brand.

Plus, several of Nordstom’s exclusive house brands like 1901 and the Nordstrom Men’s Shop (for guys), Caslon, Chelsea28, and Halogen (for women) and Open Edit, Nordstrom Signature, and Treasury and Bond (for both men and women) offer solid alternatives to J. Crew.

Outerknown

Sustainably-made, laid-back smart casual for women and men. Outerknown specializes in “versatile, uncomplicated clothing made with the most planet-friendly fibers” for women and men.

Surfer Kelly Slater and designer John Moore co-founded the brand in 2015 with the goal of “disrupting the fashion landscape by making a true connection between sustainability and style.” Outerknown prioritizes fair labor practices and environmentally-sustainable fabrics and techniques in their apparel lines, making it an excellent example of a sustainable fashion brand.

They also make uniquely good-looking clothing for women and men that can transition from work to play.

Their clothes generally evoke a sense of nostalgia, making them an elevated alternative to a store like Urban Outfitters (as well as J. Crew).

For women, try S.E.A. (“Social and Environmental Accountability”) jeans, quilted jackets, long sleeve pointelle tees, and a vintage-looking Kira dress with puffed sleeves.

For men, Outerknown offers interesting business and casual options like a boiled-wool, patch-pocket Ambassador Blazer, a stripy, multi-color “nostalgic sweater,” comfy “blanket shirts,” drawstring cords and S.E.A. Legs chinos. (I love the Outerknown blanket shirt that I received as a thoughtful gift. It’s extremely cozy and comforting.)

Sign up for emails and get a 15% discount coupon off your Outerknown order.

Club Monaco

Affordable luxury staples for men and women. Club Monaco began life as a Canadian startup. Canadian retail entrepreneurs Joe and Saul Mimran and Alfred Sung launched the brand via an initial retail location on Queen Street West in Toronto.

On March 1, 1999, Club Monaco was acquired by the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation for $52.5 million in cash, who moved its headquarters to New York City. 

Club Monaco has had its ups and downs over the years — at one point eliminating its entire menswear line — but today exists as “a modern, urban-minded brand with an element of ease and a spark of entrepreneurship from its Canadian roots.”

I love that Club Monaco experiments, and you can almost always find something new to covet, from marled sweaters to herringbone gloves, when walking through their minimalist retail locations or shopping online. (I’ve found Club Monaco to be a particularly good place to find shawl collar and cardigan sweaters.)

Ministry of Supply

Comfortable-yet-fashionable performance clothing for the office (and home office).  Ministry of Supply was founded in 2011 by a group of MIT graduates, including Aman Advani and Gihan Amarasiriwardena, with the goal of selling professional and business casual clothing made from engineered performance fabrics, including materials NASA uses.

For women, Ministry of Supply sells a range of office-appropriate dresses, blouses, skirts, blazers, suits, jackets and t-shirts.

For men, Ministry of Supply specializes in stretchy, performance button down shirts, slacks and shorts, suits, t-shirts and more. Perhaps Ministry of Supply’s sleek aesthetic is a bit more Banana Republic than J. Crew, but I love their look.

See Modern Fellows’ guide to performance clothing for women and men for additional options and to learn more about technical fabrics, and my interview with Ministry of Supply co-founder and CEO Aman Advani, who gives advice on what you should purchase first from his company. (Hint: It’s the stretchy Apollo dress shirt, which comes in versions for women and men.)

Take 15% off your purchase at Ministry of Supply with coupon code MF15 (one time use only).

Cider

Cider, which styles itself as “your closet’s happy hour,” has become one of the most popular TikTok-inspired brands like J. Crew to emerge.

The global brand, “rooted in Los Angeles” with offices in the United States, UK, Singapore and China, was launched in 2020 by former Bloomingdale’s executive Fenco Lin, Ubereats exec Yu Oppel (Wu) and entrepreneur Michael Wang.

Andreessen Horowitz, which led an investing round, noted that Cider’s global footprint “makes it possible for users to have more selection than Zara, at the price point of Forever 21, on-demand, and with minimal waste.”

While Cider largely serves up trendy clothes for women (bestsellers include crop tops, flowy wide-legged pants, denim, knit mini-dresses, retro rompers, and chunky heeled Mary Jane shoes), the global fashion brand also features a fashionable unisex collection of sweaters, fleece, pants and more for men to enjoy.

One unique feature is Cider’s unique “Pick-a-Mood” collections, which present outfits by moods like sad, grunge, fancy, sexy and more.

Cider’s clothing has a knack for going viral, from the floral lace-up tank top that Jennie Kim of Blackpink wore to a knit cami split midi dress to a sweater full of oranges.

Boden

Incredibly stylish, “unabashedly British,” fashion for women and men. Johnnie Boden founded his eponymous company in 1991 with a small line-up of menswear. 

Today, modern and colorful takes on classic apparel for women dominate Boden’s online and snail-mail catalogs. (In advance of her birthday each year, my wife hands me the Boden catalog with more than a dozen pages folded down of A-line skirts, cinched dresses, Breton tops, colorful socks and more.) 

While the British retailer has emphasized its stylish women’s clothing, Boden turns out to be a surprisingly rich destination for stylish menswear.

Consider Boden for an array of business casual wardrobe staples, including a great collection of corduroy shirts, jackets and pants come fall, swim trunks made from recycled materials, lightweight chinos and soft t-shirts for summer, and a small selection of made-in-Britain accessories and footwear.

It turns out they are also one of the few places I’ve found that makes sweatpants and joggers with a working fly for men. (I splurged one day on striped t-shirts, swim trunks, and joggers, and am very pleased thus far with the quality and fit of everything I received.)  

Boden is also an excellent athleisure destination for lululemon dupes for women and men.

Onia

A spectacular alternative to J. Crew for swimsuits for men and women. I fondly remember J. Crew’s old mail order catalogs contained an impressive selection of swimsuits for women and men. 

They weren’t flamboyant or necessarily extravagant, but they were attractive and functional. Carl Cunow and Nathan Romano founded Onia in 2009 to fill “a huge gap in the marketplace for men’s and women’s swimwear that married great quality and outstanding fit.”

Onia offers really striking and bright swimsuits for women and men, as well as cute casual-wear options that will have you reminiscing about those old J. Crew catalogs.

Amazon Prime Fashion Brands

Brands like J. Crew courtesy of Amazon. Ok, Amazon is a behemoth, but it also maintains a startup mentality and continues to iterate on its private clothing brands for women and men.

Amazon is specifically targeting men who like J. Crew and Banana Republic with its Goodthreads and Buttoned Down house-brands. Check out their chinos and button downs, which have a similar look to those found at J. Crew.

For women, Amazon Prime Fashion brands like Lark and Ro and Daily Ritual also play in the same space as J. Crew and Banana Republic.

(For more, see Modern Fellows’ guide to Amazon Fashion Brands for Women including Amazon Essentials and Lark and Ro.)

Closed Clothing 

“Contemporary since 1978” for men and women. In 1968, French fashion designers Marithé and François Girbaud established ÇA, short for C’est ça. Forced to change their name, in 1978, the company settled on CLOSED.

Fast forward 5 decades and two ownership changes, and today friends Gordon Giers, Til Nadler, and Hans Redlefsen collaborate on running the a global fashion brand that focuses on affordable luxury and sustainable production.

They do color well: For men, think chunky cable crew sweaters, slim fit chinos and relaxed weekend-appropriate button down shirts. For women, classic denim jackets, stripped turtlenecks and soft winter coats.

Madewell

Heritage-inspired clothing for women and men.  Madewell has an interesting history.  The name dates back to a family clothing operation founded in 1936 by Russian-born entrepreneur Julius Kivowitz.

Fast forward several decades: As CEO of J. Crew, Mickey Drexler learned of the history of Madewell and, 2004, registered the trademark.

J Crew re-launched the Madwell brand in 2006 and developed it into a fashion-forward, e-commerce friendly complement, selling an attractive range of wrap dresses, puff-sleeve v-neck blouses, jumpsuits, and vintage and flare denim aimed at younger women. 

Originally focused exclusively on women’s apparel, in 2018, the brand quietly launched a menswear line, Madewell Men. 

Madewell Men began with a heavy focus on denim, but has built up a nice arsenal of thermal t-shirts, waffle-knit henleys and other knitwear, swim trunks, shorts and more.

The brand became so successful in recent years that it threatened to outstrip J. Crew in popularity.  

In September 2019, Madewell filed for an initial public offering. (“Chinos Holdings,” the parent company of J. Crew and Madewell, indicated in its IPO filing indicated that the company would be renamed to Madewell prior to the completion of the IPO.)

Chino Holding’s 2019 filing noted that the company would fully separated itself from J. Crew: “Chinos Holdings will have no interest in the J. Crew business after giving effect to the Reorganization,” according to the filing.

However, in J. Crew’s May 2020 bankruptcy protection announcement, they reversed course, indicating that Madewell would remain part of the same company as J. Crew.

It’s hard to say what the future of Madewell holds given the challenges of its’ parent company.

At last glance, Madewell is captained by Libby Wadle, who was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer of the brand effective March 31, 2019.

Even More Alternatives to J. Crew for Women

Several women-only clothing brands also provide great alternative options for brands like J. Crew:

Reformation Clothing (Ref)

Edgy-yet-appropriate sustainable fashion for women. Yael Aflalo founded the Reformation, aka “Ref,” as a side-hustle in 2009.

She has since grown Ref into a formidable brand that delivers flowy, flower-print dresses, printed tops with dramatic necklines, bad-ass leather and denim jackets and more while focusing on sustainability.

Even their COVID-19 face masks are cute. (For more on Ref’s COVID19 response and other options, see Modern Fellows’ guide to where to buy washable, reusable face masks online right now for kids and adults.)

Modern Citizen

Minimal, fashionable clothing for professional women.  After graduating from Stanford, Jess Lee and Lizzie Agnew founded Modern Citizen in 2014 to make it easier for professional women to fill their closets with go-to pieces. 

Modern Citizen projects a sleek, minimalist aesthetic.  Its wardrobe includes simple sleeveless knit tops and oversized button down shirts, cropped sweaters and wrap blouses, and tapered trousers and high-waisted culottes.

M. M. Lafleur

Effortless wardrobe solutions for professional women (including those working from home). Founded by Sarah Lafleur, Narie Foster and Miyako Nakamura M. M. Lafleur is an innovative fashion startup focused on uncomplicated wardrobe staples for women. 

While the company began by offering a stellar selection of work dresses, suits and separates for professional offices, M. M. Lafleur has expanded its offerings to cater to work from home wardrobe needs including everstretch “yoga pants of work pants,” breathable summer knitwear, and “power casual” tops, bottoms and dresses. 

The fashion startup has turned into a fully omnichannel retailer, combining its sleek online presence with M. M. Lafleur showrooms in Washington, DC, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, New York City, and San Francisco.

Garnet Hill

Curated, high-quality dresses, pajamas, cashmere and more. Grant Dowse and Pegge Kirschner founded Garnet Hill in 1976 after returning from Denmark where they discovered the perfect flannel sheets and wanted to share them and other high-quality products with U.S. consumers.

The company evolved over the years to feature a wide range of cute, high-quality clothing for women (as well as children) plus shoes and accessories, a ton of backpacks, and bed, bath and home goods.

Their women’s fashion collection includes flowy knit and wrap dresses, soft stripy sweaters and wraps, comfy organic pajamas and intimates, and entire collections for linen and cashmere.

While they are no longer a family owned business — Founders Grant and Pegge died tragically in a plane crash, after which the brand was sold to the Home Shopping Network’s Cornerstone division — Garnet Hill remains a great alternative to J. Crew.

& Other Stories

Cute essentials from women, courtesy of H&M. I first stumbled upon & Other Stories while looking for a gift for my wife in London, and I immediately thought of J. Crew. 

And Other Stories is owned by the H&M Group, the brainchild of then creative director Sara Hilden Bengtsson, and smacks of effortless essentials for women from sleek cardigans to slouch leather boots to a leather croc handbag.

Even More Alternatives to J. Crew for Men

There are several innovative menswear brands who come to mind that serve as great alternatives to J. Crew, including two that are helmed by J. Crew alumni.

Huckberry

Curated men’s fashion online. Founded by Andy Forch and Richard Greiner in 2010, Huckberry boasts an incredibly well-curated selection of menswear, accessories, homewear and textiles alongside journaling on adventure and life.

The company owns Flint and Tinder and features the brand prominently, and also introduces men to a thoughtful selection of less-well known brands including Topo Designs, Adam Mar, Relwen, About Vintage watches, and Naked and Famous denim.

I look to Huckberry for an always-excellent selection of elevated and durable smart casual menswear, as well as cozy items like shirt jackets and chore coats and outdoor slippers. (I bought my first Legend Sweater Shirt by Faherty from Huckberry.)

In an interview with Modern Fellows, Co-Founder Richard Greiner recommends newbies check out  Flint and Tinder’s 365 trousers or Proof’s Rover performance pants. (He adds, “we make badass pants.”)

As Andy put it in an article explaining Huckberry’s origin, they founded the company because:

There were men’s stores, sure. Adventure magazines, too. Yet nothing out there spoke directly to us — 25-year-old guys who lived in the city but lived for the outdoors — and we envisioned a brand that was equal parts store, magazine, and inspiration to help guys suck the marrow out of life.

Bootstrapped, Profitable, and Proud: the Huckberry origin story

Todd Snyder New York

Thoughtful, high-quality wardrobe staples for men from a J. Crew alumnus. Iowa-born entrepreneur Todd Snyder advertises a combination of “Savile Row craftsmanship” and “New York aesthetic” for “the modern gentleman.”

For me, his line instills that same kind of closet envy that leafing through old J. Crew mail-order catalogs produced — with good reason. 

Snyder was a Senior Vice President for Menswear at J. Crew.  While at J. Crew, he helped conceive of the innovative-at-the time J. Crew Liquor Store. 

Now, Snyder runs a true one-stop-virtual-shop for everything from suits, button-down shirts and dress trousers to wallets, watches, neckties and underwear. 

No, it’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for, and these “effortless everyday luxuries” are meant to last. (You can also keep track of his frequent sales, which bring down the cost, along with many other amazing online sales on men’s clothing via this separate post.)

Wandering around Todd Snyder’s flagship store alongside Madison Square Park is a real treat. Oh yeah, and he revived the Liquor Store.

Bonobos

Chinos and more for men. One of the nice things about Bonobos is their bricks-and-clicks presence.

Their well-appointed Guideshops — like this Bonobos outpost in Washington, DC’s Shaw neighborhood — allow customers to touch, see up up close and try on the company’s suits, blazers, chinos, jeans and other menswear to get a feel for fabrics and fit. 

While the company focuses mainly on menswear, Bonobos released a capsule collection for women for international women’s day in 2019.

Bonobos is best-known for their chinos, their dress pants and accessories also shine. (My one nit is that they seem to have completely abandoned 100% cotton fabrics in favor of stretchy, cotton-blend fabrics.)

Yes, Bonobos is now owned by Walmart, but the company appears to maintain a startup mentality and separate identity.

For even more options for men’s chinos, including 100% cotton options, see Modern Fellows’ guide to where to buy chinos for men.

Proper Cloth

Refined, made-to-measure men’s shirts, suits and more. New York-based startup Proper Cloth specializes in a sliver of a man’s closet — button down shirts.

Through regular lookbook and fantastic website layouts, founder Seph Skerritt and his team do an amazing job conveying the fit and feel of the company’s impressive array of casual, semi-formal and formal button down shirts, along with an expanding array of custom suits and off-the-rack knitwear, suits, outerwear, belts, neckties and other accessories.

Proper Cloth shirts have been a favorite of mine since 2013, and their v-neck cashmere sweaters also impress.

Ledbury

Elevated and colorful business-casual for men. Richmond-based menswear startup Ledbury has earned consistent high-marks from this website for its slightly-modern, slightly-Southern takes on menswear classics. 

It too offers a one-stop shop for many menswear wardrobe staples, and does a particularly good job with blazers, sweaters and business casual shirting and pants. Ledbury has a terrific store in Cady’s Alley in Washington, DC’s Georgetown neighborhood. 

And Ledbury offers custom suiting via its shops in Richmond and DC. (If you’re looking for more made-to-measure suit options, check out Modern Fellows’ comprehensive guide to bespoke and custom suits.)

Suit Supply

Fashion-forward menswear from the Netherlands. Like Bonobos, a benefit of Suit Supply is being able to actually walk into a physical store and try on the company’s wares — and, in Suit Supply’s case, you can walk out with a purchase in hand.

The company’s elegant, minimalist stores, like this one alongside the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC’s Georgetown neighborhood, are a pleasure to walk through as long as you can deflect occasionally over-eager staff who are quick to point customers to their luxury suiting line. 

Their suits either fit you or they don’t — unfortunately for this writer, my shoulders and torso can’t agree on a size — but if they do, you have a highly-rated, inexpensive go-to option.  Their knitwear and accessories are also worth checking out.

What About Jenna Lyons’ Post-J. Crew Career? 

The internet has been anticipating for years the next venture(s) from J. Crew’s former creative director Jenna Lyons, who is widely credited with reviving their women’s line and overall interest in the company, having dressed everyone from Michelle Obama to Gwyneth Paltrow.

Here’s what Jenna Lyons has been up to since she left J. Crew in 2017:

• In the summer of 2020, along with co-founder and makeup artist Troi Ollivierre, Jenna Lyons launched Loveseen, a beauty brand that specializes in false eyelashes. (You can take a look at an introductory video from Loveseen below.)
• Jenna told Athena Calderon in the Eye-Swoon podcast that she is involved in a separate e-commerce venture.
• Jenna was Executive Producer for one season of STYLISH with Jenna Lyons on HBO Max (now MAX). and an interior designer with The Expert.
• Jenna Lyons collaborated on a jewelry collection with Mejuri and on a furniture collection with design startup Roll and Hill.
• Jenna sat for a live interview with the podcast Dyking Out in December 2022.
• In 2023, Jenna agreed to join the cast of Bravo’s reboot of the Real Housewives of New York City.

Photo credits: Unless otherwise noted, photos are copyrighted by Modern Fellows and were taken with permission at Bonobos, Todd Snyder and Suit Supply.