Image Credit: Josie Barry

I felt a tingle down my spine as I walked through the main doors of London’s very own Liberty department store, to an in-your-face display, announcing the launch of Topshop’s return to the High Street. 

You may have wondered, where did it go and why? In 2020, time finally ran out for retail King – Philip Green. After initial business success with his Arcadia group allowed him to pay himself a whopping 1.2 billion dividend in 2005, he remained behind the curve with technology and the growth of the fashion internet successes such as ASOS and Bohoo. Both of these enterprises hoovered up his brands when his company empire collapsed – Dorothy Perkins, Burton and BHS going to BooHoo, and ASOS claiming the jewel in the crown, Topshop as well as Topman and Miss Selfridges. 

When COVID finished off Warehouse, Oasis, Karen Millen and Coast and then big guns like Debenhams collapsed – the British High Street lost at least over twelve British brands, literally overnight. 

So does it matter if you can still shop the brands online? Well… yes I’d say. I was an avid Topshop customer for years. Literally buying something every month. But wading through the juggernaut that is the ASOS platform, to find my decidedly sidelined and now insignificant brand, was totally off putting. The range was now two dimensional and limited. Gone was the excitement of visiting a store, whether the unique mothership on Oxford Street (now an Ikea – flatpacks on the Tube anybody?) or city flagship store equivalents. On entering, noting that a layout change meant a hit of new lines for my delight. The sense of frisson when a concentration of customers converged around the same rail and the not-too-subtle shuffle as you elbowed your way in. I’ve seen a bevy of heavily pregnant women nearly knock each other out when the latest maternity collection hit down. 

Topshop was always ahead of the curve on marketing gems, like their ‘last chance to buy’ rail, transforming the impossible end-of-line, bits and bobs into ‘must haves.’ Genius links with fashion icons such as Kate Moss, set them apart. Unlike the cloned, make-up-caked, perma-tanned, influencers of today, her ‘just staggered in from a club’ tousled vibe was refreshing. Her edited collection was honest and uncontrived that you could probably find equivalents in your own wardrobe. In fact, as her untouchable, effortless coolness continues into her fifties, it’s hard to think of another living example of the essence of Topshop. A British Vogue article from last year stated:  ‘According to the resale app Depop, searches for Kate Moss for Topshop are up 45 per cent month-on-month, and on Vinted, there have been over 58,000 searches for the collection over the past 12 months.’

Image Credit: Josie Barry

Back in Liberty, I made my way up the wood-panelled staircase to the second floor in this mock Tudor building and waded through the high-end designer labels, to find the Topshop concession tucked away in a small area to the side. This is not Topshop’s first incursion amongst designer labels as it launched a collection in Selfridges in 2012. It shouldn’t… but it works. Although the space allotted was more than any other label, it didn’t take much for it to fill and with a queue for the changing room, would be easily off putting for any passing trade. 

The collection itself was back on form. Topshop has never slavishly followed fashion trends like the Spanish and Swedish homogenised brands, dominating our high streets – not to mention the bland, beige, American try-hards. It has always represented the couldn’t-care-less attitude of the Brits. With a nod to vintage, it’s the spot where you can wear a full length fur coat, over a slinky bias cut dress. 80’s inspired jackets sit alongside mini dresses and skirts. A stand out patchwork PU jacket and Long brown PU mac wouldn’t be out of place on a 60’s Carnaby Street. A padded shoulder t-shirt top, fit for Joan Collins, sold out before my eyes. Then let’s talk about the knits – although a cocoon pleated, fashion jumper drew the eye, quietly sitting there was an everyday fitted cardigan, offered in brown, cream and grey with a premium detail of covered buttons. Their jeans collection could always stand on its own and it was interesting to see a belligerence in offering their iconic Joni high-rise skinny jean, when the whole world should have moved on – maybe they know something we don’t…? Fear not – they also stock the antithesis to The Joni – The Clutch, a low rise, baggy, tie-back jean. The only product that was really missing was their footwear collection which was inspiring the last time they were on the high street. Also, despite a splattering of handbags, these too were untouchable in both style and depth in the good old days.

Image Credit: Josie Barry

The growth of cheap, let’s keep the land-fills busy while idolising Greta, fashion brands – Primark, Shein, Cider and supermarkets, definitely impacted on the mid-priced brands. Topshop’s prices however, remain surprisingly affordable for the superior design content and product quality, compared to these disposable fashion seducers. I have never thrown away my previous Topshop purchases as their quality and styling hold out to the test of time. It was really encouraging therefore to see prices remaining steady over the years, with jeans from £40 to £50, knitwear – £40, £55 to £85 Alpaca. Dresses are £46 to £49 for mini’s and sexy slinky’s from £60 to £75. Standout value is for their fantastic coats and jackets range – each one a statement piece – £65 cotton bomber, £75 PU jackets, £95 PU trench, £95 fur jackets and £130 fur coats.

I was told that the Topshop concession will be in store for a while and after a headline grabbing fashion show in Trafalgar Square, it is reported that a roll out is planned under the new buyers as well as a standalone website.

Only time will tell if the potential spectrum of customers, ranging from the likes of myself, now inspired to return to their website to shop from their whole range, right through to the next generation, who have never experienced Topshop on the high street, will return it to its rightful place. But I, for one, will be cheering it all the way.  Long Live The Queen!

Image Credit: Josie Barry