Topshop: Kate Moss made the high street brand stylish, but the potential comeback needs to be bolder than ever

When she appeared in Topshop’s catwalk show, ahead of the official start of London Fashion Week, rumours had already started to swirl that she might join forces with the brand. When the news was finally announced that she would be designing her own range for them, I remember (fashion wise), how huge this announcement was.

Kate Moss’s style is still copied today, but back in 2012, the supermodel was HUGE and everybody wanted to try and emulate her ‘effortless laid-back style.’ In today’s NationalWorld conference, my colleague Jamie Jones and I were reminiscing about how huge Topshop was at the time and this was largely due to the Kate Moss X-Factor.

It has now been revealed that Asos has sold a 75% stake in the brand to Heartland. According to Forbes, “Heartland, an arm of Bestseller, the Danish fashion business controlled by the major Asos shareholder Anders Povlsen, is the buyer and Povlsen already owns popular European retail brands including Jack & Jones and Vero Moda via his Bestseller business.

Topshop’s original fall from grace was very dramatic and due to the collapse of Philip Green’s retail group, it fell into administration in 2020, but it was relaunched by Asos the following year and they began selling their apparel online. 

So, how do I feel about the potential return of Topshop? Excited? If I am being truthful, the answer would be no. Nostalgic? Yes, 100% but that doesn’t mean I think it’s a clever idea, unless the people behind it have an innovative way to not only rejuvenate the brand but invigorate the high street.

Helen Dickinson, Managing director of the British Retail Consortium, told Drapers that “While year on year footfall changes improved in July, they remain in negative territory. Local communities need government to implement its high streets plan to help drive footfall back into growth.”

Although I am pessimistic about the success of a Topshop return, from a personal perspective, I have recently grown tired of buying clothes online and have decided that I much prefer the ‘shopping experience’ of seeing fashion items in store. 

Now, Topshop have just to hope that there are many others (aside from myself) who feel the same, but I unfortunately don’t think that this will be the case. However, if they are able to recruit Maddy Evans, Marks & Spencer womenswear director who, thanks to Sienna Miller (Kate Moss’s successor), has brought new life to the brand, then they might have a fighting chance.