Future Opening

This case study focuses on the aspects of Top Shop and their business.

Topshop is a UK leading Fashion retailer. Topshop started in 1964 in the basement of Peter Robinson, a department store in the North of England. It is part of the long standing retail force of the Arcadia Group which includes Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge and Wallis. Topshop has over 300 stores across the UK and over 100 in international territories. In 1965 Topshop was given the basement of the largest Peter Robinson store right in the middle of Oxford Street London, the most famous street for fashion. Topshop become a standalone retailer in 1974 and launched Topman in 1978 to go along side Topshop, the sister brand. In 1992 Topshop and Topman joined forces and created the largest fashion retail store in the world attracting over 200,000 shoppers a week covering 90,000 sqft at 214 Oxford Street London. Topshop has now become a fashion phenomenon and is synonymous with cutting edge fashion at affordable prices.

This section highlights the aspects if question (1) in the case study assignment.

“Topshop has the ability to appeal to everyone now” says Phillip Green, owner of the Arcadia Group. When Topshop first launched in the 1960’s it was mainly targeting women aged 13-25 but now there is something for early teens to fifty something women. Topshop appeals to students, professionals, fashion taste makers and high profile celebrities. Most customers are very loyal to the brand and visit the stores every week in pursuit of the up to date fashion for the moment.

According to Mintel Report ([a] 2010) they found that consumers rate Topshop above the average for clothing stores on the characteristics ‘trendy’, ‘trendsetting’ and ‘stylish’. It has cultivated an image of affordable, ephemeral fashion linked to celebrity.