MICKEY DREXLER is no longer CEO of J. CREW. As much as the writing was on the wall (amid restructuring and exiting of the company's most visible creative leadership), and as much as the company was more than ready for change (as J. Crew remained in decline), it feels like the end of an era. The passage into retail's new frontier now feels complete, not only for J. Crew, but for mass-market American brands that defined a kind of carefree, leisured lifestyle that resonates far beyond American shores. But it's no time for nostalgia. We've got endless scrolls through catalog scans of madras and windswept beachside tableaux for that. Onward, and (in what stakeholders must take as a leap of faith) upward, there's work to be done. Drexler remains chairman of the board at J. Crew. What a career. The man didn't gain recognition as the "merchant prince" for nothing. Former WEST ELM president JIM BRETT is stepping in as new CEO. The question remains whether J. Crew can change the focus on its former self—let's call it aesthetic inertia—and definitively move in a new direction... This podcast with BRIT MORIN, CEO of BRIT + CO, is great for the range of topics it covers beyond the company itself: Gen Z, female founders, MARISSA MAYER, and more... I thought JONATHAN SAUNDERS' resort 2018 collection for DVF was well done, hitting the right mix of contrasting color, optical patterns, and movement. It's DVF, but not retro. Also, shoutout to CO for continuing to combine a throwback sense of silhouette—I thought of CLAIRE MCCARDELL—with the ease of everyday wear, all with a sound sense of quality-for-price. Smart. Speaking of which, M. PAUL MUNFORD at LEAN LUXE writes that modern luxury companies don't compete for best-in-class in terms of quality or aesthetic, and that's not the goal. I think he's right. There's a place for all... The winners of the 2017 CFDA Awards. RAF SIMONS won both Menswear Designer of the Year and Womenswear Designer of the Year. More on this tomorrow... LVMH's 24SÈVRES is live... VICELAND's STATES OF UNDRESS is back for a second season. I've been a fan of the show since a close friend sent me the CHINA episode. Moments from the PALESTINE episode remain vivid. Love the show for representing a range of experiences that don't conform to tidy political narratives or easy expectations, and ultimately, for its empathy. Episode 1? "Packing Heat in Heels."