J. Crew Invades the UK

Dozens of shivering British fashion bloggers, TV personalities, and socialites snake down London’s Regent Street, waiting patiently to get into the Nov. 6 opening night party for the J.Crew flagship store. Inside, bearded men like James Middleton, brother of Kate and Pippa, browse skinny ties and shrunken blazers. Women in full skirts and crop tops paw through tables of pastel cashmere. Everyone’s hair is chicly disheveled, as are their teeth. On the stairs up to the second level of the 17,000-square-foot space, the biggest of the three J.Crew stores that opened in London in November, two partyers pause. “Oh! There’s Mickey and Jenna,” one whispers reverentially, pointing at J.Crew Chief Executive Officer Millard “Mickey” Drexler and Creative Director and President Jenna Lyons. He’s playing town mayor in a navy blazer and a white button-down. She’s in sparkly green pumps and her signature oversize black glasses. There’s a photo booth and Champagne cocktails, and it’s all very fabulous and also kind of funny, because it’s just J.Crew, after all.

Businessweek has a fun profile of Mickey Drexler, Jenna Lyons, and J. Crew this week, as they just opened three stores in London. Though fair warning, Brits: the prices are even more jacked up over there than they are here. (Drexler: “Opening international stores enormously helps your domestic business. Because then customers will buy even more when they come to America, because it’s cheaper.”)

In other U.K. commerce news: you lucky bastards can now buy marshmallows with your Instagram photos printed on them.

Photo: ikrichter

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