(See what we did there? Like the love child of ‘Got milk’ and ‘You’ve been tangoed’)
Laura Reynolds looks at the hype surrounding the collaboration.
Just a week to go until the man in red arrives...
Topman: This is the strongest competitor in the men’s category with the highest relevance among the major stores. Sir Philip Green’s Topshop was aided in a huge way by the re-emergence of guitar music in the 21st century and by its shameless yet hilarious plugging in The Mighty Boosh. Although it was once entirely just a haven of skinny jeans and porcupine hats, its pop t-shirts and unbelievably flashy jackets and hoodies make this the store of choice for students from Brighton to Newcastle and it is almost certain to catch on with the Columbia and NYU students as its American operations go from strength to strength.
H&M: The most exciting thing to come out of the Netherlands since Leerdammer cheese has been a success on the female front with popular lines by Stella McCartney and Sonia Rykiel and is recognized as a leading proponent of budget event wear. Its men’s section however has struggled to compete with the European stores and the clothing is generally of a lower quality than other higher priced UK high street stores. Yet on first wear H&M clothes look as good if not better than the rest of them and their underwear and accessories section comfortably edges out its opponents. With new stores opening up in smaller areas, celebrity charity designs by artists such as Pharrell Williams and Katy Perry, and budget Jimmy Choos there are signs that H&M is looking to establish itself as a leading UK store.
Zara: Spain’s classier UK store still carries the reputation of being a high-price, high-quality merchandiser. While price varies between lines from under £10 to over £100 the slightly higher costs come with a much greater quality than other chain stores while their lines look twice the price of what is actually paid for them. Zara’s proprietor, Amancio Ortega also owns Spanish retailers Bershka and Massimo Dutti while his Pull & Bear stores in Belfast, Liverpool and London seek to emulate the enormous popularity that they enjoy in Spain. Out of these stores though, Zara’s fashion lines bear closest resemblance to Massimo Dutti yet at a highly accessible cost leading to a 63% profit rise in the first quarter of 2010.
Gap: The US giant has cemented its place in the market with the support of former employee Kanye West, who returned as an intern after his second album, yet what makes the California store so successful is the way its product is self marketing and has avoided radical change in over 40 years of existence. Arguments can also be put forward for the quality of its t-shirts and jeans but, unlike Zara, the clothes don’t come at such a reduced price and bargains are hard to come by. The main redeeming feature though is its adoption of a 10% student discount, which at those prices makes for a healthy saving.
Urban Republic: The second store from California on this list is the only one founded by a Nigerian and surprisingly only dates back as far as 2007. Where Urban Republic excels is in its idiosyncratic measures. Many of the items to be found on sale will be restored or inspired by thrift store purchases yet without losing any quality. As well as this, Urban Republic was grown organically from buying and selling clothes before receiving any major funding and its roots in humanity have led to its involvement in society-oriented causes. Overall it is the most expensive and least findable store on this list, however the price of its products is paltry in comparison with the quality and relevance of styles and its men’s section is often the largest and most adaptable on the list. Where Urban Republic might suffer though is if it is to stick to its principles, is in the lack of low-cost t-shirts, dealing instead in pop-culture and music wear.
You must log in to submit a comment.
