Topshop Oxford Street is the world's largest fashion store and is also the home of the brand's flagship store.The store's features include a nail bar, a one hour tailoring service, a hair salon by famed catwalk hairdresser Daniel Hersheson, and a one hour delivery service whereby customers can place an order to the store and their products will be delivered by Vespa scooter to them within one hour, providing that they live in the delivery zone. Topshop also houses an EAT café/sandwich bar. Topshop Oxford Circus is roughly 90,000 square feet (8,400 m2) and covers five floors.The shop attracts up to 30,000 customers each day. Customers can also access fellow Arcadia Group member Miss Selfridge, which is situated next door, through the sweet shop.
taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topshop
From the outside this looks like a typical high street store but on the inside there are plenty of surprises for everyone. I was disappointed with the window displays, they lacked creativity and umph (even though that isn't a word). They didn't instantly grab your attention and make you want to go inside (if you didn't know the store was Topshop) I found the lighting annoying in the men's window and the clothes were bland. In the womens window, as you'd expect was the Kate Moss collection but instead of focusing on the clothes all you were drawn to were the oversized photographs of Moss' big face. But as you went inside the story changed, as the Christmas season is approaching the interior was full of silver and a group of mannequins dressed in the latest knitwear were stuffed into a perspex box with silver helium balloons crammed in there too which was aesthetically pleasing.
There are 3 levels to this Oxford Street flagship store, on the ground floor a mixture of women's accessories for example bags, jewellery etc and womens' clothing which I am guessing are the newest arrivals, each are colourfully displayed on rails, tables and mannequins and crammed into the vast space. The area is well lit, cleverly laid out and although it is past 5 o'clock on a Thursday evening, hundreds of people, varying from the young to old, are still in the store eagerly shopping for the new trends. In between all the madness is a small cupcake counter. A major thing I noticed was the amount of security wandering round the premises especially on this ground floor. There is also Mikey jewellery available towards the back and other concessions. Next to these displays is an entrance to Miss Selfridge which is another store in the Arcadia Group. For me this store is beginning to feel like the 'new' 2010 style department store.
Down the escalator to -1 on the right hand side is where Boutique and Emerge is situated. This is an exclusive collection of emerging international designers, in store now for a limited period. The designers are Marios, KTZ, Les Heal, TV, Unique and Ashish. The final mainline Kate Moss collection is also available on this level, it was surrounded at all times by a few members of staff. The tills on this floor are situated at the back, away from the escalators to the exit but close to the stairs to the -2 level. This is to make the customer notice other items of clothing whilst on their way to make their purchases which could result in them adding something to their pile. It is a very organised till system which cuts waiting time for the customer and enhances their mood. I'm sure I've only seen one changing room on this floor.
Down another level leads to you to my personal heaven SHOES, there is also a nail salon named WAH! Nails, famed catwalk hairdresser Hershesons hair salon and an EAT. cafe tucked away at the side of the floor. So far you have everything to fill up an entire day in just one shop! The shoes down here are to die for, from Vivienne Westwood to Kurt Geiger to Tophop own brand it is heaven for me. There is even a Dune in Topshop! Other than the cafe, hair salon, nail salon, the powder lounge for your lashes and brows, hot hair extensions, several shoe concessions and past some more full price items there are the good old sale items hidden away for the students (:
Compared with the Topshop in my home town, the staff weren't dressed a specific way. Some were dressed casually and comfortable for work whereas others had made more of an effort, mixing there own style whilst still wearing some Topshop items. There was a good mix of male and female staff but they are all relatively young, I would guess between 18 to 35. Overall I would say it's not typically Topshop but more Topshop the department store.
