For many teenage girls in the 2000s and 2010s, a visit to Topshop was akin to stepping into another world.
The stores were vibrant hubs of music, makeup, and fashion, offering a comprehensive retail experience. Topshop’s garments were frequently featured in publications like Vogue, often showcased alongside high-end couture.
However, the brand eventually lost its way.
Fashion journalist Amber Graafland observed, “Topshop lost its cool. And when that happens, it’s hard. Fashion is a fickle beast; consumers move on quickly.”
In 2020, the Arcadia Group, owned by Sir Philip Green, collapsed, leading to the closure of all Topshop physical stores.
Now, Topshop is staging a significant comeback.
Michelle Wilson, managing director of Topshop and Topman, confirmed to BBC News that standalone stores are returning to high streets.
Recently, Topshop hosted its first catwalk show in seven years in London’s Trafalgar Square, with model Cara Delevingne, a long-time brand ambassador, in attendance.
The brand’s anticipated return has been met with a wave of affection on social media, particularly among millennials and Gen-Z, suggesting that absence makes the heart grow fonder.
However, industry experts caution that nostalgia alone will not guarantee the success of Topshop 2.0.
One key challenge will be attracting a new generation of shoppers.
Graafland notes that while Topshop’s previous core demographic is now in their late 20s and 30s, the brand cannot solely rely on them. “They will need to work hard to entice younger girls in,” she stated.
The prevailing nostalgia trend on social media and in retail may prove beneficial. (Joni jeans, anyone?)
The Topshop team believes they can appeal to both older and newer demographics.
“We want to deliver for those that are nostalgic for a brand that they felt like they lost,” Wilson said.
“But we absolutely want to appeal to a new demographic as well.”
For many, shopping at Topshop during their teenage years evoked a sense of being fashionable and trendy.
Saturdays were spent browsing racks to find that one coveted item, justifying the expense from a meager bank balance.
Upon purchasing it, there was an air of nonchalance, as if one could afford such luxuries regularly.
This sentiment was shared by many, with large crowds flocking to Topshop’s flagship London store to witness the launch of new collections from celebrities like Beyoncé and Kate Moss.
Designer Wayne Hemingway, co-founder of Red or Dead, noted that in the 1990s and 2000s, designers “used to laugh at High Street fashion. They couldn’t keep up with the trends. Topshop was the only one that did.”
Hemingway, who collaborated with Topshop during its peak, attributed much of its success to the team behind it, including Jane Shepherdson, its influential brand director.
“They brought in second hand clothes for example, that’s normal now, but back then it was seen as absolutely radical to have a shopping department store doing that,” he said.
“You had the collaborations, the London Fashion Walk catwalk, all this design and excitement at High Street prices. It was so fresh, everyone wanted to be part of it.”
However, over time, consumer preferences evolved, and Topshop did not always adapt accordingly, according to Graafland.
“They offered that unique London look. Then the girls who shopped there grew up, and they didn’t want that look anymore,” she said.
“You cannot afford to take your finger off the pulse for one minute in fashion.”
She added that Topshop 2.0 could benefit from the resurgence of its core aesthetic—the London girl look—and the limited number of retailers currently offering it.
“If you look at the High Street now, there’s a strong Spanish presence, with the likes of Zara, and also a Swedish presence with H&M. When Arcadia collapsed, we lost that Britishness,” she said.
She added that a lot of the High Street is “playing it safe right now”, and that could also work in Topshop’s favour if can “get that cool edge back”.
Topshop’s team is confident that it can still win over shoppers with its trademark London-based swagger.
“We still think there’s a huge gap in the market for that,” Wilson said.
“The most important thing that we won’t forget, and maybe got forgotten about towards the end of the previous era, is that product is everything.
“It has to be the best quality product, the most fashionable product for our customer base, and bringing that at good value.”
Topshop’s popularity peaked in the years leading up to the current cost of living crisis, and its team is aware of the increased competition it now faces.
A pair of Topshop jeans can easily cost around £50, while Chinese fast fashion giant Shein offers jeans for approximately £17.
“If we’re just comparing Shein, then yes, I think most brands on the planet are at a higher price point than Shein,” Wilson said.
But she added: “We know that when we offer great fashion and great value for money then the product does sell very well, so absolutely no concerns about that to be honest.”
While Topshop may not produce new items as rapidly as its online-only competitors, it has faced scrutiny regarding its environmental practices.
For younger consumers, this can be a significant factor in their purchasing decisions.
Wilson suggests that the higher prices reflect a more sustainable model.
The firm’s focus, she said, is very much “on the livelihoods of people within the supply chain that we partner with and also the environmental impacts of the brand”.
After Sir Philip’s retail empire collapsed, the Topshop brand was acquired by Asos.
While Topshop products remain available online, in-store shopping is making a comeback.
Topshop’s return to high streets begins this month, with products set to be available in select stores.
However, the primary focus is on the standalone stores, which Wilson confirmed are “definitely” returning.
While she did not provide a specific date for their return, she indicated that the aim is to open stores nationwide.
Topshop is relaunching at a time when the high street continues to struggle. Just days ago, fashion accessories chain Claire’s collapsed into administration.
But Wilson said lessons have been learnt after what happened to Topshop 1.0.
“We’re just making sure we do it in the right way so that we don’t over-expand ourselves,” she said.
The question remains whether the stores will recapture the same atmosphere as before.
For many, Topshop was a place to meet friends after school, experiment with makeup, and listen to DJs playing dance music.
Some stores offered the opportunity to order specialty coffee, get hair and nail services, and even get piercings.
“Fashion is only part of the story. It’s about selling a lifestyle and an experience,” Graafland said. “There’s got to be that buzz around it.”
Topshop’s team say they won’t necessarily be replicating what it used to do, but rather, “finding ways to bring that into 2025 and do interesting things”.
Overall, expectations are high.
“They will get the girls to the stores, I don’t doubt it,” Graafland said.
“The question is whether they can keep them there.”
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