Topshop is coming! Topshop is coming!
Yesterday, Nordstrom announced that it would participate in the latest British invasion with the introduction of Topshop and Topman shops in 14 of its stores across the U.S.
Fashion industry watchers see the move as Nordstrom's attempt to get a little edgier with clothing options. Topshop is Britain's fast-fashion answer to Zara, H&M, etc. and its designs come, as The New York Times put it, "with rock 'n' roll flair."
"Topshop and Topman are internationally renowned leaders in fashion and we are thrilled to start a relationship with them that we hope will grow and prosper over the years," said Pete Nordstrom, president of merchandising for Nordstrom, in a statement. "We think our customers are going to love their take on trend-led fashion at great prices."
"With new pieces being delivered from our design team on pretty much a weekly basis, the ability to buy fresh, must-have looks every time a customer visits is key to our brands' point of difference," said Sir Philip Green, whose Arcadia Group Ltd. owns Topshop.
There are clear pluses in the deal for both Nordstrom and Topshop. Nordstrom gets a forward-fashion line that appeals to a younger consumer. It also gets to see fast-fashion up close and personal.
"That speed is appealing," Mr. Nordstrom told the Times.
For its part, Topshop and Topman get introduced to a whole group of consumers that may not typically visit its stores. Topshop has 319 stores in the U.K. along with 137 franchises operating in 37 countries. It currently has company-owned and operated flagships in New York, Chicago and Las Vegas, with another planned for Los Angeles next spring. The company also operates topshop.com and topman.com in the U.S.
Topshop and Topman departments at Nordstrom will be U.K.-authentic, with mannequins, visual merchandising and fixturing supplied from Britain. Departments will include limited-edition pieces designed specifically for Nordstrom. The department store's website will include additional choices not found in stores.
Neither party would provide details on where the partnership between the two companies might go from here but Mr. Nordstrom told Bloomberg News, "We think it can be pretty big. The intent is, 'Let's do something special, let's do something that works on a sizable scale.'"
Nordstrom full-line store locations that will feature the Topshop and Topman include:
Ala Moana (Honolulu, HI)
Oakbrook Center (Oakbrook, IL)
Barton Creek Square (Austin, TX)
Phipps Plaza (Atlanta, GA)
Burlington (Burlington, MA)
The Plaza at King of Prussia (King of Prussia, PA)
Chandler Fashion Center (Chandler, AZ)
San Francisco Centre (San Francisco, CA)*
Dadeland Mall (Miami, FL)
South Coast Plaza (Costa Mesa, CA)*
Garden State Plaza (Paramus, NJ)
Southcenter (Tukwila, WA)
Irvine Spectrum Center (Irvine, CA)
Valley Fair (San Jose, CA)
* Store will have Topshop only.