Having spent the majority of the last decade metamorphosing from everyman high street chain into the UK’s most achingly hip fashion brands, Topman‘s unlikely transformation is now seemingly complete; with the opening of its first standalone concept store in east London’s eternally-hip hotbed of all things creative, Shoreditch. Curated by the brand’s design director Gordon Richardson and the creative director of b store – Saville Row’s cradle of cool – Matthew Murphy, Topman General Store sports that kind of early 1900s sideshow Americana look that’s oh-so en vogue right now, without ever erring towards the forced-eclecticism that All Saint’s international outlets have succumbed to.
Their ‘Design’ and ‘LTD’ collections are given the opportunity to shine in this pared back environment, whilst seasonal collaborations and choice brands sit comfortably alongside limited edition art prints, books from Paris’ 0fr and temporary installations in the store’s custom built displays. Burying, for good, any lingering beliefs that a high street chain can’t possibly be cool, Topman General Store is as bold a move as we’ve seen from a menswear retailer of this size; let’s hope it doesn’t remain a one-off outlet for too long.
