The return of a cult brand?
The revival of a fashion giant
If you grew up before the noughties, Topshop may well have been your Roman Empire.
The brand’s fresh approach to high low ensembles and iconic collaborations with the likes of Kate Moss saw it quickly become a high street fashion leader and a London Fashion Week staple.
Now—with the buzz of its London relaunch and catwalk comeback—Topshop has had an incredible opportunity to reintroduce itself to a new generation. One that's more conscious, more ethical, more community-minded, and more vocal about what brands should stand for.
Here’s the issue.
Beyond the nostalgia and the glitz, Topshop still doesn’t seem to stand for anything.
Where did the cult brand go wrong?
The votes are in - and the mark has very much been missed.
Topshop’s comeback was a pivotal moment to return not just with style, but with substance:
To acknowledge fashion’s past missteps.
To speak to a new, more values-driven audience.
To lead with progress, not just product.
What they’ve instead demonstrated is:
No visible commitment to circularity.
No deeper message about inclusivity, ethics, or the future of fashion.
Just Y2K throwbacks and a familiar marketing playbook: a missed opportunity to do something meaningful with all that attention.
What can we learn from this relaunch?
In 2025, brand revivals can’t just be aesthetic. The stakes are too high.
Culturally, socially, and environmentally, brands need to do better.
As Positive Retail founder Anna Woods summed up in a Bricks article: "With 69% of clothing globally now made from plastic, and failed negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty last week, this isn’t just a branding issue; it’s a climate one. Sustainability is meant to be the loudest conversation in fashion, yet revivals like this quietly ask us to forget what we’ve learned.”
What does a fashion brand look like when it’s on good form?
While Topshop missed the mark, here are the other fashion innovator brands that are getting it right.
In this day and age, consumers are more conscious than ever. We expect and demand better from brands.
So here are 5 brands who are putting values at the centre of their growth, showing what the future of fashion can really look like:
A resale and consignment platform championing slow, circular fashion, proving that second-hand can be first-class in style and service.
2. SOJO
The “Deliveroo of tailoring and repairs” making clothes fit you through local alterations, not the other way around. A powerful reminder that fashion doesn’t have to be disposable.
3. The Little Loop
A rental platform for kids’ clothing that recognises how fast kids grow, and how fast their clothes shouldn’t be discarded. Functional, smart, and planet-friendly. They just partnered with JoJo Maman Bébé!
4. Revival London
Streetwear meets upcycling. Each drop is made from reclaimed garments, and every piece is one of one. A love letter to creativity, individuality, and waste reduction. Cool, chic and very much of the now.
5. Clique (one to watch)
An exciting new name building a community-led fashion model from the ground up: think style with shared values, not just shared aesthetics. People who love fashion and want to share with likeminded people.
