The British Are Coming!

Remember that time just a while ago when all things American seemed to be sweeping the globe with unrestrained fervor? Back when I started my career, a GAP store in London was an exotic thing and friends of mine swooned at the thought of a Dodge Neon. American brands ruled and the mere mention of their names made domestic retailers quake in their boots. Ralph is coming!  Donna, Calvin…and (perhaps implausibly) Gant!

Oh how the world turns. Today it’s the influx of the foreigners to these shores that has us all abuzz. H&M, Uniqlo, Muji, Mango, Camper and believe me I could go on. On the British side I’ve watched the expansion of Ben Sherman and Ted Baker with pride and Paul Smith’s New York emporium got my vote for best store of last year. These were brands whose pedigrees would make anyone nervous, but the two who’ve recently been making waves--Topshop and Tesco--were initially a surprise to me.

Growing up in England, these future ambassadors of my homeland couldn’t have looked more different than they do today. Topshop was a tawdry little place pumping out garish, cheap togs that seemed the furthest thing from fashion’s cutting edge. And Tesco? Tesco was a flickering, fluorescent shed where you went to buy your crisps (potato chips), pasties (meat pies - roughly) or milk (milk) whose primary saving grace was cheap lager and an open sign after the pub kicked out.

Fast forward and TopShop sits today as a record-breaking jewel in parent company Arcadia’s crown. The retail world views them as nothing less than the new Zara and the planned 60,000 sq. ft. Manhattan flagship will carry their frenzy-inducing line from Kate Moss among its garden of delights. And then there’s Fresh & Easy. Tesco’s new concept has had every conference I’ve been at this past year in a tizzy, flying out of the gate with something we just couldn’t seem to come up with organically (pun fully intended).

Smiling to myself I thought “it’ll be Marks and Spencer next!” And then low and behold I read this piece in the Guardian last weekend, where this most traditional of English brands shakes off its reputation as a purveyor of comfy white cotton knickers and expensive take-home meals and takes its first tentative steps towards being a fashion-forward powerhouse.

Perhaps it's no longer such a long shot. Perhaps we’ll have an M&S on every corner before we know it. And who knows, maybe, just maybe, those cotton undies will have Victoria’s Secret’s nylon-clad knees knocking.

--Christian Davies, Guest Blogger