The return of Topshop: Bringing back a British icon

In the last month or so, Topshop has been planting seeds of revival. A deep dive by The Times was followed by interviews with trade industry bibles The Drum and Drapers. Online, Topshop’s website has sneakily gone live again, surreptitiously asking you to sign up for updates. Then, there was an exclusive pop-up event with Defected Records in Shoreditch.

The consensus is that Topshop will be back in August, and it is likely to have a high street store once again.

But if one of the UK’s most beloved brands is to return, and this time as a challenger brand, what does it need to do to survive?

Connected marketing - Using social to drive sales

If Topshop wants to thrive on social, it needs to invest in understanding the modern audiences that live there. The good news is that ‘indie sleaze’ is back, and given the general 15-20 year cycles for most things in fashion, it might be the perfect time for a comeback. There’s been an explosion of ‘vintage’ 2000 era fashion on Vinted and TikTok, and we’re sure Topshop’s marketing teams will be watching closely to see how and, crucially, why, it can join in with conversations.

Other heritage brands that were squeezed out by the advent of online shopping and faster production cycles, like J Crew, Abercrombie, and Burberry, have done this really well. They’ve stayed true to their brand and product offering but used big name stars, their own in-house creative talent or paid media on platforms like TikTok and Instagram really well. They’ve made it easy to see something you like on social media and click through to buy it. Alongside visually reimagining their brand style for modern wear, bringing desire and purchase as close as possible. Where Topshop can thrive is understanding the combination of platforms, algorithms and culture.

Formats such as user generated content and live shopping pose incredible opportunities. The brand has many fans who would jump at the chance to be a partner, make content, and celebrate what makes Topshop unique.

These formats would also allow it to communicate with several audiences at once - from the shoppers who still have “mom” jeans in the cupboard to the Gen Alpha’s asking “who is Alexa Chung…?”

Stores as studios and places to visit

Retail experts have been writing about placemaking and experience-based flagships for decades but few did it as well as Topshop’s Oxford Circus store.

While many of Britain’s high streets are shellshocked by the death of the high street, we’ve simultaneously become accustomed to Gen Z’s love of “drop” culture. From streetwear brands to Labubu dolls, it seems that if you build it, they will come.

The trick with both has been coordinating a sense of scarcity or exclusivity. But with a brand as popular as Topshop, people won’t want to feel conned. They want authenticity and something that feels long-lasting.

Instead, hosting events that give customers early access to ranges, tickets to gigs, or a chance to speak with their favourite creators might be the way forward.

The recent pop-up in Shoreditch, leaning into Topshop's long-standing connection with music, indicates they’re well aware of this.

The energy, the creation space, the shared cultural but physical experience; Topshop was much more than a shop, it has the license to lead again but this time around with the dynamism of a challenger brand.

Reinforcing who they are as a brand

Kate Moss’ impact on Topshop is immeasurable and the talent Topshop uses in its comeback will be crucial. It could be Kate again - she has the kind of influence that doesn’t wane - but it would be missing a trick not to connect with the multitude of young creators that hold so much sway on social platforms.

We always encourage brands to listen to what cohorts are saying on social media. Rather than follow trends, you should be able to feel what is coming next.

Interestingly, Topshop's new MD has said she’s aware of a “yearning for Topshop to do something more than clothes and actually celebrate the good things about Britain.”

We’d say this is spot on. We’re not back in Cool Britannia, but it was that identity that people loved so much about Topshop in the first place.

We’re also in an era where the e-commerce brands that helped put Topshop out of favour (PLT, Shein, Missguided) have been experiencing their own backlash. People’s opinions around fast fashion and the environment have shifted. They’ve also grown tired of influencer culture that has started to feel identikit and dated. In a way, it's the perfect environment for things to come full circle and Topshop to challenge their market share.

So, there’s the option to become several things at once: indie, sustainable, and accepting of subcultures - the diversity that makes Britain what it is.

Above all, there’s the opportunity for the brand to encourage people to be themselves. That was the spirit of its heyday era.

Its strength came from the brand reflecting back the best of its community. It’s a group whose style ethos remains the same - personal expression over fashion followership.

There’s a huge groundswell of support, especially from us. We’ll see you in the queue.