Topman General Store | High street giant launches second spin-off shop

Topman opened a second General Store this week with a launch party at the new shop in Covent Garden.

What’s the difference between a Topman General Store and a regular Topman? Not all that much by the looks of it. Essentially it’s smaller, so the stock is carefully chosen (‘curated’ they like to call it) by Topman Design Director Gordon Richardson and B Store’s Matthew Murphy. The Covent Garden store has a more grown-up feel to it – all white washed wooden floors and antique furniture – but the clothes are predominantly trend-led; more Navajo jackets and tailored shorts, less V-neck tshirts and chinos. It looks like they’re trying to appeal to the people who would otherwise be shopping at the independent boutiques and vintage stores nearby or who might think they’re a bit too cool for Topman. Either way, it’s a far more pleasant retail experience than fighting through hoards of girls to get to the Topman on the second floor of the Topshop flagship at Oxford Circus.

The General Store was heaving with hipsters on Wednesday night, drinking the Sipsmith gin and tonic bar dry and craning to get a glimpse of boy/girl duo Big Deal playing in the back room. I didn’t have my SLR on hand but I did grab a few snaps on my iPhone. Click on the gallery below to enlarge. Or you can glimpse me about 2 mins into this video, sipping my G&T.

The Topman General Store is now open 36-38 Earlham Street, London WC2H 9LA. Visit the Topman website.

Not So ‘Forever’ 21? | US Giant to downsize store

Have you heard the gossip?  US superstore Forever 21 is already seeking to downsize its debut store located in Birmingham’s prestigious Bullring shopping centre.  It has been there 18 months, and while more recent times have seen the chain jump at every opportunity to bombard us with their fuchsia pink plastic bags and provide every 14-year-old with short shorts and pleather jackets, by opening up three story developments at Westfields and on Oxford Street, it seems maybe Forever 21 didn’t foresee its own downfall.  With plans to sub-let part of its store in Birmingham, could this be an omen for the shiny new stores down South?

Personally, having been to both London stores on various occasions I have struggled to find anything apart from the odd piece of costume jewellery to seduce my purse strings.  All 3-floored filler, no killer you might say.  And I always leave feeling rather disappointed.  With prices points so cheap as to rival Primark, it does make me a tad melancholy that a store so shiny and inviting has barely any decent products on offer.  That said, having visited Forever 21 in America, I came away with some of my best-loved items (a leopard print cover-up, some killer pendants, and some amazing tees) that are still regularly worn nearly a year on.

So why can’t the UK stores deliver?  Or is it just me?  While Forever 21 might be on the verge of clawing back square feet in order to save face, it seems its biggest rival, and the store which was most scared of Forever 21’s aggressive push on the UK high Street, is going from strength to strength.  H&M’s designer collaborations are stronger than ever (Versace, Marni etc) and they have now announced 2013 will see the opening of their new, slightly more up-market, stores, to be called ‘& Other Stories’ (rubbish name).  The other brands owned by H&M, e.g. Monki and Cheap Monday, also have their first bricks and mortar stores which opened last month in Carnaby street, and are by all accounts doing extremely well.  So, I guess what they say is right, hey Forever 21?  Nothing like a bit of healthy competition, eh?

What we can expect from & Other Stories? A dress from the H&M exclusive Glamour Conscience Collection

So dear readers, please do enlighten me if you do in fact enjoy shopping in the uK Forever 21 stores, and your best finds as well would also be appreciated!

Pop-Up Design @ Le Garage

Roll up, roll up, get your trendy bums down to Le Garage for Pop-Up Design- A showcase of purchasable raw talent from some of London’s finest graduates.  Pick up original works across the disciplines of photography, textiles, jewellery, fashion, illustration and more at Le Garage until the 27th November. 

 

All details can be found on the poster above, and being open until 8:30 at night thurs-sat, it’s a perfect excuse for a bit of original late night shopping.  Showcasing hand printed scarves by the likes of recent Chelsea MA graduate Jessica Chan, it is your chance to snap up some original pieces before these talented artists hit the main arena!

Happy shopping!  Be sure to share with us what great pieces you pick up!

Is Versace for H&M the highstreet’s most opinion-dividing designer collaboration yet?

‘Eww.’ That was my reaction when I saw the first ads from the Versace for H&M collection that premiered in New York last night with a high profile fashion show and performances from Prince and Nicki Minaj.

In the photo I saw, model Daphne Groeneveld was wearing a long-sleeved dress and leggings, both in garish black, turquoise and fuchsia oriental pattern. More ads were released and I still wasn’t impressed – the retina-searingly bright colours and brash head to toe prints are a far cry from the sleek, sexy dresses that Donatella has been sending down the Versace catwalk for the last few seasons. It looked from comments on the web that I wasn’t the only having a WTF moment, but then I was chatting to fellow blogger Simon at a recent H&M event and he was saying how much he liked the collaboration and that he thought everyone did too.  Clearly, Versace for H&M is dividing opinions.

Now that the entire collection (all 117 photos worth) has surfaced we can make a more thorough critical assessment. In actual fact I think my initial reaction was a bit harsh (but I stand by it where that fur vest is involved, you’ll see what I mean below). Not every piece makes me say eww; there are a few I really like – but a VERY limited handful. For arguments sake I’ve picked what I think are the 10 best and 10 worst pieces from the collection and put them in the gallery below, along with a selection of opinions gathered from a sample that includes tweeting celebs, trusted blogger friends and internet randomers alike. Bear in mind that the average dress costs £80 with some going up to as much as £150.

The case FOR Versace for H&M:

• “I think that’s a great idea – rejuvenating the brand in this way” – fashion writer Katie_Jane_Rose.
• “Its all about 80s/90s nostalgia! The old Gianni prints we know and love having a come back. Donatella’s a fashion force!” – fashion blogger The Very Simon G.
• “Saw some of the Versace for H&M stuff today. Amazing!!! Love love everything! Fab colors and patterns” – actress Emma Roberts tweeted.
•  ”At first, I was really negative about it because Donatella said she would never do it a few years ago, so obviously she’s after the old money now…I actually quite like the collection- it is VERY Versace and definitely has its signature all over it. Which is good, as it doesn’t feel completely watered down like past collections for H&M.” – Style & Then Some’s own Helen Coakley.
• “The glossy look book was released this morning, showing the designer-meets-high street collection in all it’s leather-clad, gold-studded, pattern-clashing glory. And we LOVE it.” – the MyDaily team.
• “Some of the studded shift dresses, the less-crazy printed pants, cut-out plain coloured frocks, and even some of the accessories are actually pretty darn cool.” – blog Drop Dead Gorgeous Daily.

The case AGAINST Versace for H&M:

•  ”I am hugely disappointed by the men’s. Who is really going to buy the pink suit? The other products for men are equally as loud, with wild screaming patterns or street gang type clothes. Disappointing!” – fashion blogger JaimeLondonBoy.
• “Some of it is genuinely cool, but it’s just RIDICULOUSLY over priced, as it’s still H&M” – fashion blogger Abimarvel.
• “Possibly the worst idea on the planet, ever. Who’s idea was it to combine H&M’s cheap materials, and obsession with leopard print, with Versace’s tacky silhouettes? All for a…oh wait it’s not even that cheap.” – fashion blog EyeSpyFashion.
• “Half of this collection is as bat-shit crazy, and unwearable as I expected (what a shame it’s out in November, there are so many great Halloween costumes here).” – blog Drop Dead Gorgeous Daily.
• “This collab is barf worthy. One of the worst H&M/designer collabs yet IMO. Never was a big Versace fan and this is exactly why. Absolutely fucking hideous.” Comment on StyleForum. OUCH!

Which side are you on? Will you be queuing up eagerly when the Versace for H&M collection is released on 17 November or will you be giving it a miss?

Visit the collection’s UK microsite.

The best (first ten photos) and worst (last ten photos) of Versace for H&M:

 

Photos: courtesy H&M via Cut blog

Check out Style & Then Some’s guest article on the Telegraph’s London website

Read the full article here: London’s best charity shops: stylish spoils and sweet charity

I’m really quite excited about this. Today an article I wrote for the Telegraph’s London website was published. It came about after Alice Revel from Running in Heels kindly recommended Style & Then Some to the site’s London Content Editor, John O’Ceallaigh. John got in touch and asked if we’d like to contribute an article about fashion in the capital. It was hugely flattering to be asked and jumped at the chance – I put five years of bargain hunting to good use and wrote a guide to finding the best charity shops in London. I trekked all over the city and came up with a top five areas to target, and I’m pretty pleased with the resulting article. More than that, I’m really proud that all of mine, Helen, Sophie and Sophie C’s hard work on the blog has lead to us being featured on the website of a national newspaper. So girls, next stop Vogue?

Mind and RSPCA in Highgate, one of the five areas I featured in my guide to London charity shops

Forever 21 Store Launch: Oxford street’s newest offering

Last week saw one of the U S of A’s biggest chains open up its new British flagship on Oxford Street.  With Bip Ling fronting the advertisement campaign, it is kind of obvious the type of people they are hoping to attract i.e. not your mum.

And with over 500 stores worldwide, and already having opened their first UK branch in Birmingham’s Bull Ring last year, you would assume from all the hype this is the start of Forever 21’s ascent to becoming Queen of the High Street.  Well, they’ve already started jumping into HMV’s grave, giving Forever 21 their final break into the West End’s high street….

The store itself is actually mighty impressive.  Spanning three floors and keeping quite a modern layout, the Visual Merchers have done somewhat of an awesome job.  However, the clothing does seem a tad ‘glorified Primark meets H&M’ and I cannot say I wasn’t devastatingly disappointed.  I was day dreaming of an American Apparel meets Urban Outfitters super store.  Mind you, some of the footwear and accessories weren’t bad, and prices are ever so low (perfect for the discerning shopper).  The problem is, is there even room in the UK market for this type of store?  And is our ‘Great British High Street’ somewhat drowning in a tidal wave of American brands at the moment?  Just don’t get me started on Hollister…