J.Crew Giant chino

You may have noticed the little tremor that shook the quiet world of menswear last summer. You more likely missed it because you were too busy taking photos of your negronis and because the epicenter was located in the east coast of the US, more precisely in New York.

On July 25th, the American brand J. Crew launched online its 2022 fall look book. In and of itself, this could have been a non-event. The brand that peaked in the 90s had been losing altitude for a while and nearly went bankrupt in 2020.

Since the mid aughts, J. Crew’s spearpoint has been the Ludlow suit. A slim fitting, low-rise and short jacket suit. An affordable and easily accessible, in any of the 127 shops, entry level suit that became a classic for young professional Americans, willing to differentiate themselves from their father and their Brooks Brothers suits.

 So why did this new collection made its way up to the headlines of menswear discussions? Because it was the first collection designed by Brendon Babenzien. If you haven’t already heard the name of this Long Island native, maybe his work will ring a bell. Indeed, after 15 years (on and off) at the head of Supreme creative direction, Babenzien has been running his own brand Noah since 2015. One can easily understand why J. Crew, looking for a new and youth-appealing image, wanted to recruit such a streetwear-oriented talent.

It would be an understatement to say that expectations were high. When the look book launched, many commentators rejoyced that J. Crew was back. Many others also wondered whether J. Crew was actually back… For a little French dude, the question is moot. How could J. Crew be back when it wasn’t here in the first place!

Browsing through the online catalog, one thing is certain though, the brand did catch up on current trends. Looks mix a traditional american wardrobe with workwear and streetwear-influenced pieces. Looking at this mix, it is hard not to think about Noah (duh) or Aimé Leon Dore, which is the front runner of what some call “grown man streetwear”. With a bit of a stretch, Drake’s could also fit in the same category of brands you can wear to your non-suit required office (with a more European vocabulary). By the way, this new aesthetic will likely disappoint 1990’s moodboard enthusiasts (#oldjecrew).  

Of course, if you had to set the cursor for J. Crew, it would rather be on the preppy or ivy side than the streetwear side of the board. Prints are quieter than at ALD or Noah. Models are having a warmhearted laugh on the deck of their lake cabin instead of defiantly looking at the camera. We don’t mind slumming it a little, but let’s keep it New England.

The lookbook launch peaked my curiosity and I had a look at J. Crew’s online shop. A few items caught my attention (some foulard print shirts, heavy gauge cotton knitwear…), but nothing in the offering seemed to be fulfilling a cruel need in my wardrobe and, thus, justifying a purchase. This makes sense, the brand targets a broad audience. Menswear nerds didn’t wait for 2022 to get themselves a rugby sweatshirt, a shetland sweater, oxford shirts or khakis…

Talking about khakis, a specific model did get a lot of attention: the Giant Chino. Among its range of chino fits, J. Crew pulled from its archive the giant fit. I am not familiar enough with the brand’s history, but the resurrection of the Giant Chino seemed to be the event within the event. Which was actually a nice coincidence because I had been on the hunt for a flat front wide-legged pair of khakis for a while, something in the like of the Polo officer chinos, or their original version from the US Army (again). Maybe a purchase was justified after all…

A couple of weeks and 120 EUR (80 USD on the US shop…) later, the much awaited chino arrived. And it was a relief because they were already sold out online.

Trying on the pants, they did not lie, the fit is indeed giant. The cut is just like what I had in mind, relatively close to the hips but wide in the thigh all the way down to the ankle. The leg opening is a record 26 cm (vs. 23 for the famous “French Army Chinos”). I was expected vanity sizing and ordered one size down (two could probably have been possible). The rise is moderately but properlyhigh.

The all cotton mid-weight canvas is thick and sturdy which makes the chino hangs nicely from the waist. This is something I dislike about the French Army chino: the fabric is very light, which is perfect for summer but makes the pants lose any shape after wearing them for half an hour. The Giant Chino holds itself nicely throughout the day: the leg remains a straight line all the way down to the ankle.

 A funny detail is that the chino is hemmed with a 4 cm cuff at the bottom. It looks nice, but I am not sure I would have asked for cuffs on a chino. Since the pants are hemmed, only one length is available: 30 inches. It will be too short for some, too long for others. Personally, this is the perfect length. Pulling up and tightening the belt, I get an ankle-breezing crop cut. Loosening the belt, the chino sits on my hips and cover my socks. Other might need to get an alteration tailor.

Finishing looks good for the price. The machine stitching looks clean and sturdy both inside and out. White lining of the waistband and piping make the inside look neat.

Looking back, I am very happy with my purchase. The fit is what I was looking for, and the quality is good. I can finally stop looking for vintage US Army chinos. Well, maybe I’ll keep an eye open because something that the Giant Chino is missing is a coin pocket on the waistband.