US premium fashion chain J Crew which is known as Michelle Obama's favourite clothes store will be opening its major British outlet on Regent Street in London this week.

J Crew, which has already opened a small menswear store on Lambs Conduit Street in Bloomsbury is also planning to open a women's store in Brompton Cross later this month.

With the economy showing signs of improvement, US retailers are looking to the UK to find a new avenue of growth. "They often see the UK as a good jumping off point for Europe," said Maureen Hinton, an analyst at market research company Verdict.

James Ebel, of property advisory firm Harper Dennis Hobbs, agrees. "When a US retailer reaches an optimum number of stores in its domestic market they turn to Canada and then to Europe or Asia. Many choose the UK because it is a sophisticated retail market, while London is at the centre of the worldwide fashion scene. It's important to be here."

More stores are expected to be open in 2014.