What neither of these articles is saying is that the appointment of Kate Moss has been extremely controversial and may be very bad news for Topshop. A few years ago, it was a limp and limping, boring clothes shop for teenagers (the flagship stores in Oxford Circus was like hell on earth (I used to pop in my lunch hour when I worked in the area). The woman who, as everyone knows, 'single-handedly transformed the fortunes of the retail group' has resigned over the appointment: she wasn't consulted and was understandably angry about it. Without her there would be no Topshop any longer. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=408698&in_page_id=1773

Kate Moss, for whom it may just be something to do for a little while, in between two multi-million jobs, may undo years of work and plunge the company into the doldrums again.

Thanks for the background, J, I had never heard of the chain at all. Having Kate Moss designing can't hurt publicity-wise, but whether people are dying to buy her designs, I have no idea...

You're welcome, R! Topshop is huge here (in both senses of the word - at least the Oxford Circus branch): that's where *all* the fashionistas go in search of what's hot. There's a vintage section and a young designer one, etc. They always have a finger on the pulse of fashion (or so I'm told - what they sell is not for me).

It actually didn't need more publicity: it couldn't be more trendy. It's true that Primark (very cheap but up-to-the-minute stuff) and Asda and Zara are competing with it and the boss may have thought Topshop was in danger, but I think it was a very bad move: one should not discard a 'real' maven with an acute business sense for a fickle celebrity.

I kind of think Phillip Green wanted to get a piece of that H&M-celebrity designer sellout combination that's been happening for the past couple years - but I totally agree with you that he might well find he's really screwed things up in the long run in spite of any initial sellouts or success he may find with the Moss collaboration.

Very short-sighted on his part: Jane Shepherdson is going to be snapped up by someone else and make *them* successful.

Hi NWT - I noticed a few years ago Topshop getting international fashion buzz when celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow and Destiny's Child started raving about the massive Oxford Street store being a must-go place when they were in town. I used to work around the corner, literally from the store when I was a student in London and ended up spending a lot of money in my lunch hours! I have to say as an American living in the UK that that was the first time I saw a place like that - a cheap-to-reasonalbly priced clothes shop that sold more 'fashiony' clothes as well as vintage stuff and vintage inspired offshoot lines - that really appealed to my style and budget - I couldn't buy things like that back in Wisconsin without paying an arm and a leg or going to thrift shops for good vintage.

You too?! All those lunch hours spent there trying not to be deafen by the loud music! LOL!

Oops, 'deafened'.

Well, then it sounds like something NY might need. Have never been fond of H&M, which sounds (?) like it might be about the same kind of thing.

I can well imagine the controversy. I could not get out of London this summer without stopping there to shop with my daughter. What a madhouse! My daughter does not care for Kate Moss and I don't see her appeal for teenagers.

It's not just teenagers who shop there: celebrities and fashion editors do too.

Hmm. Kate Moss may have a lovely face with the right photographer but I don't immediately think of good smells when I see her. She always looks a bit grimy and she smokes.

Still Chanel used her for Coco Mlle so someone must find her fragrant.

Agree she often looks grimy...but hard to believe she can't sell more fragrance than Naomi Campbell or Cindy Crawford!