Our love for J.Crew is well documented – as well as using the company creative director Jenna Lyons as a sort of template for womanhood, we’re big fans of its preppy-meets-fashion-forward separates and are eagerly anticipating the opening of the US brand’s first Europe flagship store when it opens on Regent Street in London later this year – so we were pretty excited when, through some old-fashioned poking around a building site for clues, we discovered that the brand is opening a second store just a stone’s throw from our office.

Building work has commenced at 38 Lamb’s Conduit Street, a street that is just around the corner from Never Underdressed and also home to Folk and Oliver Spencer, for a store that apparently will open shortly after the one on Regent Street. But while the Regent Street J.Crew will have menswear, womenswear and childrenswear, all housed in the 17,000-square-foot former Burberry store, the retail industry magazine Drapers is reporting that the second Lamb’s Conduit Street store will only sell menswear.

That tempers our excitement somewhat – we won’t be able to pop out and buy bejewelled cardis and perfectly cut pencil skirts on our lunch break – but at least we’ll be able to stock up on unisex basics like cashmere sweaters. 

The new location is also a promising sign that J.Crew isn’t just planning to plonk one big store in the middle of the capital and leave it at that; instead, they’re expanding throughout the city, opening up to five stores in neighbourhoods that have a slightly indie vibe. 

Ana Santi, deputy editor of Drapers, told us: ‘I think that it makes sense to open more than one store at once so that you really create an impact. The Regent Street one makes sense because it’s obviously prime location, everyone is going to know it’s there and there is the added benefit of attracting tourists but I think Lamb’s Conduit Street is a good move too, particularly for a menswear store. It’s a lovely little street with an independent feel, it’s still central London but it will have that niche feel to it.’

After choosing to locate their temporary pop-up in very newly fashionable King’s Cross in May, and plumping for Lamb’s Conduit Street for menswear, J.Crew are proving that they understand the London fashion retail landscape and are willing to do something slightly different to other mid-market stores. It all bodes very well.