Casual-chic fashion retailer Madewell opened its third San Diego-area store in less than a year this week at the Carlsbad Forum.

The New York-based fashion house known for its full spectrum of denim and chambray apparel for young professional women, made its San Diego debut at Fashion Valley in May 2013, followed by a second store at Westfield UTC in July.

The latest store held its grand opening party Tuesday night at the Forum.

CEO Millard Drexler said last summer that the Fashion Valley store was performing "way beyond our expectations," signaling that the jeans retailer had found a perfect fit with Southern California's laidback lifestyle.

Since then, Madewell has hired J. Crew design alum Somsack Sikhounmuong to revamp its collection and move it away from the trendier pieces and prints, toward its roots as a clean, sophisticated look that can grow with women.