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.