RIP Topshop

Topshop was more than just clothes, Topshop was the distinctive shopping bags, incredible seasonal sales, creative outfits and so much inspiration. When news broke during the pandemic that the Arcadia group, which owned Topshop, was going into administration I was devastated.

I couldn’t believe I wouldn’t be able to shop in Topshop ever again. It was that guaranteed place where you could find something for work, for everyday life and most importantly, for going out. I felt you were either a Topshop or River Island person. I was always a W38 L32 girl more than a “Molly”.

Trouble at Topshop

I recently watched a BBC documentary “Trouble at Topshop” told through the lenses of the women at the top including brand director Jane Shepherdson. Shepherdson took the outdated store and made it into one of the most iconic UK fashion brands along with its Oxford Street retail space that seemed to transcend the shopping experience.

Retail king to exiled businessman

The documentary is split between pre-Philip Green Topshop and post-Philip Green, the latter causing Shepherdson to resign due to his toxic behaviour towards her team and the lack of quality control he was overseeing. Green is a disgraced UK businessman who went from being lauded as the retail king to being accused of abuse, harassment and tax evasion.

Due to his reputation of running a billion-pound retail empire, and his tax avoidance setup between his wife in Monaco and him in the UK, the flagship Oxford store became a target for protesters in 2010, known as “UK UNCUT”. The group were targeting big businesses that owed the government millions in tax whilst the general public was still reeling from the financial crisis of 2008. Yet despite these protests

The power of the in-store shopping experience

Topshop’s Oxford Street store had it all, from a live DJ, a radio channel, a nail salon, a blow-dry bar and food stalls. The 90,000-square-foot venue used to attract a daily average of 28,000 customers all ready to explore this five-floor paradise.

Gymshark is the latest retail brand to open a trail-blazing physical store on London’s Regent Street. From inclusive mannequins to a Joe and Juice bar along with gym classes available for customers - this concept follows in the stepping stones of the iconic Topshop. Bridging the gap between online and offline sales is a difficult one to master with consumers demanding more experience and less hard-selling. It was clear that in the early days Topshop had this mastered yet evidently it failed to keep up with the digital age and hyper-personalisation.

ASOS x Topshop

When ASOS bought Topshop after its collapse I’m sure it was great for the brand but disappointing for its customers. Similar to the original Topshop website, the clothes were styled poorly, the images looked dull and pixelated beside ASOS’s multi-brand offering and if you did purchase something, the sizing was off or the item was not reflective of the purchase. Despite ASOS marketing Topshop as an incredible addition to their website, it’s just not the same and never will be.

The high street today

I don’t think there’s a store like Topshop on the high street today, for me anyway, Topshop marked a period of my life where I was growing up, going out and going to work. It was my first port of call when shopping and I genuinely enjoyed spending time in-store.

Stores like Stradivarius, Bershka and Zara have now claimed the high street giant’s throne bolstered by Gen-Z’s growing spending power. These stores have incredible clothes, I’m not disputing that, but it’s the brand value and experience that I loved about Topshop. The pandemic was the final nail in the coffin of the Arcadia group it couldn’t have survived store closures in the UK and USA.

Find your style

It is clear that brands, clothes and in-store experiences play instrumental parts in our lives even when we don’t think they are. Topshop in particular was crucial in helping us find our style, our voice and our personality. Whether you’re a punk rocker, preppy or a glamour star, you’d always find the style for you. RIP Topshop.

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