Wednesday, May 29, 2013

J.Crew Pops Up in London

"Thanks!" to many of you, including GigiOfCa (in this post) who let us know that J.Crew opened a pop-up store in London.

There are a few posts about this event over at J.Crew's own 770 blog ("Hello, London: Up Early with Jenna"; "Hello, London: Our Pop-Up Has Arrived"; and "Hello, London: It’s Cocktail Hour"). All the photos in this post come from J.Crew's blog.








The following is from NY Daily News (click here to read in its entirety) about the pop-up store:
J.Crew opens flash pop-up shop in London: Temporary store open only 48 hours
For its first foray in the city J.Crew is setting up a temporary shop in the Western Transit Shed in King's Cross, London.

May 24, 2013

The preppy US retailer has opened a summer pop-up store in London and teamed up with the city's famous fashion school, Central Saint Martins, for a series of projects.

For its first foray in the city J.Crew is setting up a temporary shop in the Western Transit Shed in King's Cross, London.

Featuring the brand's famous monogramming service, as well as a selection of special Spring/Summer pieces and a preview of the Fall collection, the pop-up shop is set to live up to its name and will be open for just 48 hours, from May 24 to 25.

Longer-lived London plans include a design project and scholarship program with the city's famed Central Saint Martins fashion school, alma mater to Alexander McQueen, Zac Posen and Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci among others.

On Wednesday the brand's creative director Jenna Lyons set the school's knitwear students a cashmere challenge, with the winning design picked for production and sold in J.Crew stores around the globe.

"Knitwear knowledge isn't as prevalent in the US. Here, it's a much bigger deal" Lyons told Vogue. "You guys love a knit," added the 44-year-old designer.

J.Crew will also be awarding a scholarship (covering course fees and accomodation for a year) to one lucky applicant to the Central Saint Martins fashion MA program.

Central Saint Martins's famed fashion professor, Louise Wilson, explained the link between brands and higher education programs: "without brands' support, we would be dead in the water. We met through their fortuitous imagination. This is about live learning," she added.

J.Crew will be opening a full flagship in November on Regent Street in the famous West End of the city.

The pop-up store definitely looks intriguing! It has a more high-end feel than I was expecting it to. I am so curious what the Regent Street store will end up looking like now. (Probably like a concept store than the one in my mall.)

What are your thoughts on J.Crew's pop-up store? Do you like the layout? Are you excited about their upcoming opening in London?

9 comments:

  1. I cannot imagine how high the prices will be with the exchange rate. After living over there for over 3 years and traveling back on regular visits I doubt I would buy anything from them in the U.K.

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    Replies
    1. Also, there are many great stores with very high quality *made in UK* stores that I found. British won't put up with many of the defective stories you read about on here. I wish them the best; they are going to need it! I treasure all my really well made clothes I bought while living over there.

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  2. Tabs will be happy about this.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This news makes me irrationally angry.
    Hey, J Crew, thanks for closing my local store. Oh, and thanks also for closing the only store in Las Vegas. Congratulations on your gorgeous pop-up store in London. I can see where the future of J Crew is headed and it is certainly not my way.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree that this news is somewhat annoying on several fronts.

    Why not a collaboration with US design schools and US design students? Hello, Parsons is right down the street in NYC. I suppose that, having already accomplished a presence at NY Fashion Week, the international High Street customer is next up.

    Pretty transparent in the same week that one of the latest % off (targeted only to students/teachers) is part of the current strategy to court designer buyers, and shuttle entry level customers to Factory.

    I love Jenna, but the couture global domination strategy is wearing on me.

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  5. I'm very intrigued by the collars in the glass case, might they be part of the collaboration with the fashion school or are those fall items?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Unrelated but here's a JC celebrity sighting - the colorblock tartine satchel and looks like a tipped schoolboy blazer:

    http://www.laineygossip.com/Emma-Stone-wears-a-great-blazer-as-Gwen-Stacy-in-Spider-Man-sequel/27033

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fancy J. Crew with their Chinese-made products.

    ReplyDelete
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