Latest news with #DefectedRecords
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Topshop boss confirms standalone shops are coming back
Topshop has confirmed it plans to open bricks and mortar shops across Britain as its revival gathers pace. Michelle Wilson, managing director at Topshop and Topman, told Drapers that the brand has 'something planned' for August and beyond. Topshop hosted a one-day pop-up event in Shoreditch, London earlier this year, called 'Topshop In The House'. The one-day pop up was a collaboration with Defected Records and marked Topshop's first physical event in four years. Wilson said this week: 'We have something planned in August to bring Topshop back into real life again, with a more semi-permanent presence than the one-day pop-up. 'In the shorter term that will be something with partner support and in the longer term we will do something standalone.' She said that Topshop and Topman would return to the high street in autumn via one wholesale partner. Wilson told Drapers: 'I'm excited to see Topshop back in person. I think the partner that we are collaborating with is an incredible partner. 'I think it will surprise a few people. I'm looking forward to the day that we launch that and seeing people's reaction and excitement.' However, Wilson stressed that the brand was not seeking to recreate what it had in its heyday, but was looking to build a presence, both in bricks and mortar and online, fit for the current market. The retailer is gearing up for the relaunch of standalone and websites, which are both currently understood to be going live in August. Asos boss José Antonio Ramos Calamonte said in April that the chain had spent 'two years rebuilding the product assortment of Topshop' ahead of the relaunch. ''The time has come to come back, to be much more present with consumers in the UK, but also globally,' he said. Topshop will not be returning to its former flagship store at 214 Oxford Street in London, which is now occupied by the new Ikea which opened last month. Earlier this year, London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan was among those calling for the return of Topshop, stating at the time: 'I'd meet my mates outside Topshop, my daughters took me shopping at Topshop and I know every type of Topshop jean. 'Wouldn't it be great to get Topshop back on Oxford Street?' Topshop was founded in 1964 youth-focused offshoot of the department store Peter Robinson. At its peak, Topshop was a titan of the British high street, raking in about £100million in profit, with hundreds of stores spread across almost every large town and city in the UK. But the store's popularity waned as it struggled to compete with fast fashion online, losing its younger shoppers to aggressive digital e-tailers like Boohoo and PrettyLittleThing. In 2018, former owners Arcadia revealed it was haemorrhaging cash, reporting a £93.4million pre-tax loss compared with £164.6million profit in the year before. And sales slumped 4.5 per cent from £1.8billion. Amid the demise of Arcadia, owned by Philip Green, in 2021, Asos acquired Topshop, Topman and Miss Selfridge for £330million. At the time of its collapse, there were 70 Topshop stores across Britain. In September last year, Asos sold a 75 per cent stake in Topshop and Topman for approximately £135million to form a joint venture with Danish holding company Heartland, controlled by the Holch Polvsen family. It was at this point last year that Asos said it planned to relaunch the and websites by the summer of 2025.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Beloved retailer to return to the high street with permanent standalone shops
Topshop is reportedly coming back with physical stores following a limited pop-up in London last month. It was one of the biggest fashion chains on the high street before it went into administration in 2020. Now Topshop is said to be making its comeback. While the once beloved retailer is set to relaunch its website later this year, it has reportedly confirmed that it has been looking into opening up standalone stores permanently. The news comes after Topshop hosted an exclusive one day pop-up store in London on May 10, which was created in collaboration with house music label Defected Records. However, those who missed it the event are in for some good news, as the firm's Managing Director Michelle Wilson is said to have told Drapers that the brand "would have a permanent store presence at some point." She further added that the retailer had "something planned" to bring its presence back into real life in August, confirming that Topshop and Topman would return to the high street in autumn through one wholesale partner. The fashion chain, which was a staple of the high street, closed the doors to all physical stores five years ago after falling into administration, before being bought over by ASOS in 2021. It came about after the fall of Sir Phillip Green's Arcadia Group, with the online retailer also snapping up other firms from the group such as Miss Selfridge in a £330 million deal. However, the firm has officially confirmed that it will be making a return with an online presence, as it is set to launch the Topshop and Topman website sometime in August. The fashion brand began teasing its loyal fanbase with its return on Instagram on March 18, with a series of reels confirming that it had been "listening" to those who had been begging for it to come back. The announcement was met with a flood of enthusiasm from shoppers, with one exclaiming: "Is this happening?", while another said: "Right. FINALLY! Talk about keeping us waiting!!!!!!!!" To entice its once devoted fanbase even more, the Topshop website currently advises that something is "coming soon." Topshop first opened up as part of defunct department store chain Peter Robinson back in 1964, before opening its own flagship store on Oxford Circus in 1992. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. As one of the UK's most notable fashion retailers, it once operated 300 stores in the UK alone, with the full total worldwide being 500 after it branched out overseas into America in 2014. Known for its ability to always remain on-trend, the brand also managed to offer collaborations with supermodel Kate Moss, alongside stocking Beyoncé's Ivy Park Athleisure Line just before it closed its doors. Topshop isn't the only iconic retailer set to make a return this year, as electrical giant Comet is set to be relaunched online following the closure of all its 240 stores and stock being liquidated in 2012. In May, it was bought over by online marketplace OnBuy in a deal reportedly worth £10million, as it plans to bring the firm back with its original branding later this year.
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Topshop returns to the high street for one day only – here's everything you need to know
Topshop is back on the high street for one day only, and we've got everything you need to know about the iconic brand's limited-time pop-up event It's official! Topshop is coming back to the high street, well, for one day at least. This Saturday, the iconic British brand is popping up in London for a limited-time event. Topshop is launching a basement takeover with Defected Records, so not only will you be able to shop some classic Topshop pieces (we're talking Joni and Jamie jeans) and the new Talamanca collection, but you can dance the day away to some great music. The pop-up marks a major moment following Topshop's much-hyped digital relaunch and brand new website, and it promises all the fashion, nostalgia, and 2000s cool-girl vibes you'd expect, plus a few surprises. Want to know where, when, and what to expect? Tickets were available on Eventbrite, but of course, these sold out straight away. Don't worry, though, as they'll be taking walk-ins on the day from 10am - 6pm. Expect stylish pieces, live DJ sets from Defected's Olive F, cocktails by MOTH, a full Glam Bar experience, and exclusive, limited-edition Topshop x Defected merch. The location? Basement of Defected Records HQ, 23 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3LT. Whether you've been mourning the Oxford Street flagship or stalking their online comeback, now's your chance to get that Topshop experience once more. If you can't make it down to London for this event, we've got you covered with our pick of Topshop's coolest new-in pieces for spring and summer on ASOS right now... Crinkle mesh Bradley.B lemon print maxi dress in multi Available for £50 here If you're jetting off on a holiday and want to play into that 'dolce vita' fashion trend, this lemon maxi dress is perfect. Floaty, breezy and comfortable, it's ideal for rolling up in your cabin bag. Co ord premium wedding guest occasion blazer in buttermilk Available for £85 here Butter yellow is the biggest trend of the year, and we love how versatile this premium blazer is. Pair with the matching waistcoat and trousers for a stylish wedding guest look or style the blazer over jeans and silky skirts for everyday wear. Co ord low rise linen stitch detail floral trouser in brown Available for £50 here Of course, trousers aren't exactly a trend, and they're always going to be around. But now more than ever, slouchy, pyjama-style and printed trousers are everywhere. We love that these brown floral trousers still look chic and put-together while being as comfortable as pyjama bottoms. Ish kitten heeled sandal with knitted flower in red Available for £42 here Floral detail heels and sandals are a huge trend this year. This kicked off last summer when savvy shopper began purchasing hibiscus flower hair clips and slotting them onto their heels. However, save yourself the hassle (and blisters!) with this gorgeous red pair from Topshop. If you're on the hunt for more new-in summer pieces, we're currently loving River Island's chic neutrals that are perfect for the warmer months. Plus, Mango's new-ins that are perfect for wedding guest season.
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Topshop really is back! Former High Street fashion giant announces return to physical retailing ahead of wider summer comeback
Topshop is returning to physical retail for the first time in four years with a one-day pop-up event ahead of a rumoured high street return this summer. The hotly-anticipated event in collaboration with Defected Records will take place on May 10 at the house music label's basement space in Shoreditch, East London. Called 'Topshop & Topman In The House', the pop-up will offer early access to the brand's new Talamanca collection and limited-edition Topshop x Defected T-shirts. Free tickets are already sold out for the event from 10am to 6pm which will feature live DJ sets and cocktails, but walk-ins will also be welcome subject to capacity. The so-called 'activation' is the brand's first in-person shop since its final stores shut permanently during the pandemic lockdown in 2021 when it was bought by Asos. It also follows a series of cryptic Instagram posts since March hinting at a retail comeback for Topshop this August which have sent fans into a frenzy. Last month Asos confirmed it was preparing to bring Topshop back to the high street after signing new wholesale partnerships with brick-and-mortar retailers. Asos boss José Antonio Ramos Calamonte said on April 24 that the chain had spent 'two years rebuilding the product assortment of Topshop' ahead of the relaunch. People walk past the closed Topshop on Oxford Street during the pandemic in November 2020 He added the 'first step of this comeback' is a new website, and the physical retail return will see the brand open shop-in-shops in some outlets. According to Retail Gazette, Mr Calamonte added: 'We are listening to our consumers. We understand that they want Topshop to have a level of its own.' He did not ruled out opening standalone stores in future – but an Asos spokesperson later clarified that Topshop's return for now will come through traditional wholesale arrangements rather than branded shop-in-shop concessions. Announcing the new pop-up earlier this week, Topshop's global marketing director Moses Rashid said on LinkedIn: 'TOPSHOP x DEFECTED present: TOPSHOP IN THE HOUSE. 'We've seen your comments and couldn't wait until August to see you IRL… Launching an exclusive 1 day shopping experience, with a basement takeover with Defected Records.' Mr Rashid said the event will also feature beauty counters and is a nod to the brand's iconic in-store experiences from its heyday on Oxford Street. Asos is expected to announce more details about the return in August over the coming months. However, Topshop will definitely not be returning to its former flagship store at 214 Oxford Street, which is now occupied by the new Ikea which opened yesterday. The Swedish furniture retailer bought the site, once the jewel in Sir Philip Green's retail empire Arcadia Group, for £378million in October 2021. Topshop had 70 stores when it closed for good, but Asos bought it out of administration in February 2021 for £295million along with Miss Selfridge, Topman and HIIT. The brand has since been online only via the Asos website – and last year Asos sold a 75 per cent stake to Heartland, an arm of Danish fashion business Bestseller. Bestseller is controlled by the major Asos shareholder Anders Povlsen, the billionaire behind Vero Moda and Jack & Jones – with the sale prompting hopes that Topshop could return to the high street. This was following by a bombshell announcement on social media in March that sent fans into a frenzy. It showed a couple standing on an industrial rooftop below a huge Topshop sign, followed by a message: 'We missed you too'. Captions spaced out across three posts on the company's official Instagram added: 'We've been listening'. And its website also teased a return, with the homepage of simply saying: 'Topshop coming soon.' This message still appeared on the website this morning. Brits rejoiced at the news, with one saying: 'Topshop announcing they're returning to the high street is a joy only millennial girlies will understand. We've missed you x.' Another added: 'I feel like my parents just got back together.' And a third joked: 'Millennials everywhere are screaming, crying & throwing up… I'm one of them.' London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan was among those calling for the return of Topshop, saying at the time: 'I'd meet my mates outside Topshop, my daughters took me shopping at Topshop and I know every type of Topshop jean. 'Wouldn't it be great to get Topshop back on Oxford Street?' The company later revealed that its post was plugging an 'audacious fan-fuelled art installation and treasure hunt' after it joined forces with London artist Russ Jones to create the 'We Missed You Too' art exhibit in Soho. The exhibit features 21 mirrors with comments from Topshop's army of followers. It also launched a 'treasure hunt' across London, where winners can bag a £1,000 Topshop voucher and exclusively early access to the website when it relaunches. Topshop was once the undisputed queen of the British high street. With its trendy clothes, sell-out designer collaborations and 100,000 sq ft Oxford Street flagship store, the brand attracted everyone from tourists and teenagers to 'It Girls' and fashion editors. During their heyday in the early noughties, celebrities and fashion icons flocked to be a part of the retail leviathan - owned by Sir Philip. Supermodel Kate Moss even launched her own Topshop range in 2007. She went on to do 14 collaborations with the company. Attracting the 'It Girls' of the day, British supermodel-turned-actress Cara Delevingne was even the face of Topshop's a/w 2014 campaign. At its high, Topshop seemed a true titan of the British high street, raking in £100million in profit, with hundreds of stores spread across almost every large town and city in the UK. But the store's popularity waned as it struggled to compete with fast fashion online, losing its younger shoppers to aggressive digital e-tailers like Boohoo and PrettyLittleThing. In 2018, former owners Arcadia revealed it was haemorrhaging cash, reporting a £93.4million pre-tax loss compared with £164.6million profit in the year before. And sales slumped 4.5 per cent from £1.8billion. As well as the financial woes, there was also the problem of image with Sir Philip Green himself. Retail experts, including Topshop's former brand director, pointed at how the BHS pension scandal and accusations of sexual harassment tabled at Sir Philip - which he denied - had tarnished the brand, putting off female and Gen Z shoppers. Then, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Arcadia was forced to shut 550 stores and furlough 14,500 employees. The move spelled the end of the shop's physical presence on the high street. By 2021, all Topshop stores had closed after the brand was bought by online behemoth ASOS in a £295million deal. Asos acquired Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT from the administrators of Arcadia, two months after the struggling group collapsed with a £750million deficit. Topshop started life in 1964 as the 'Top Shop' concession within the now defunct Peter Robinson department store in Sheffield. The company had spotted a growing need for fashion made specifically for teenage girls who wanted to embrace modern, forward-thinking design. Under the leadership of buyer Diane Wadey, Top Shop stocked styles by young British designers including Royal College of Art graduate Jane Whiteside, Jeff Cooper and Ronnie Stirling. The idea was a success and a concession in the Oxford Street branch of Peter Robinson soon followed, marking the start of the brand's decades-long presence in the West End. In the early 1970s, parent company the Burton Group split off Top Shop into its own independent chain of stores focusing solely on shoppers aged 13 to 24. Peter Robinson would continue to focus on shoppers over the age of 24. But by 1974, Peter Robinson, which had been a mainstay of British retail since the 1830s, was floundering and reduced its 22 branches to just six. Meanwhile Top Shop was booming. Within two years, Top Shop had 55 standalone branches and was reporting annual profits of £1million. Its next major image revamp came in the 1990s, the same decade that the Oxford Street flagship opened in its current location. Under the stewardship of Jane Shepherdson, who was Topshop brand manager from 1999 to 2006, the brand went from teen clothing store to a serious fashion brand with industry clout. 'It was a time when we were trying to prove Topshop had its own design credibility compared to a cheap high street retailer that used to copy everyone else,' Mr Shepherdson previously told The Standard. In 2001, Topshop launched its own label, Topshop Unique, and in 2005 became the first high street label to show at London Fashion Week. The move cemented its place as a brand worthy of the coolest names in British fashion, with It Girls including Zoe Ball, Sara Cox, Donna Air and Jemima Khan sitting front row. At the same time, Mr Shepherdson focused on collaborations with young British designers like Christopher Kane, and turned the Oxford Street store into a must-visit destination for schoolgirls, tourists and fashionistas alike. Mr Shepherdson added: 'We wanted to make it everything that a young girl wanted from a fashion store and for it to feel like a real luxury, special experience. I think for a time we achieved that.' In 2005 Topshop reported profits of £100million. After Mr Shepherdson's departure came another great Topshop milestone: the first Topshop x Kate Moss collaboration. The 2007 release was a hit with shoppers and graced the pages of fashion magazines. The supermodel would go on to produce 14 collections with the retailer up until 2014, with each one selling out within hours. 'The Kate Moss collaboration cemented the Topshop brand and allowed it to expand worldwide piggybacking off the name of the world's most famous supermodel,' pop culture commentator Nick Ede previously said. 'It was the biggest fashion breakthrough and led to his products being featured in magazines that would normally turn a blind eye to his designs in a snobbish fashion.' Other high profile designer collaborators include Mary Katrantzou, Richard Nicoll, Jonathan Saunders and Meadham Kirchhoff. The idea was replicated at Arcadia's other brands including Dorothy Perkins, which launched a Kardashian Kollection in 2012. Mr Ede added: 'These iconic collaborations were the top of their game. Many imitated but none were as good at tapping into the fashion zeitgeist of the times.' In 2009, Topshop arrived in the US, with Kate Moss and Sir Philip jetting to New York for the launch that saw shoppers queue up around the block. However, during the 10 years that followed, Topshop's shine started to fade. On the high street it faced greater competition from new rivals like & Other Stories, Urban Outfitters and Arket, as well as from established retailers like H&M and Zara, which offer designer lookalikes within weeks of their catwalk debut. Topshop also had a large number of brick-and-mortar stores - some 510 around the world, including 300 in the UK - which became less and less of a draw in the age of online shopping. In 2019 all of Topshop's US stores closed, just 10 years after opening. Compounding the problem was Topshop's sluggish digital investment and the aggressive rise in online, fast fashion retailers like Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing and Missguided, which have become the go-to destinations for Gen Z shoppers looking to snap up new, social-media worthy looks.
