We've partnered with Topshop and Topman Oxford Circus, one of the most influential stores in fashion, to offer new and exciting brands and retailers the chance to showcase their ideas in store. This week, we chatted to Skinny Dip, one of Topshop’s longest standing concession brands, to find out what it’s like to set up shop inside this giant flagship store. Once an unknown accessories brand, Skinny Dip has grown exponentially during their two-year concession in Topshop. They now sell their products in over 100 concessions in 60 countries including the likes of Selfridges and ASOS. It was back in 2011 that Lewis Blitz and brothers James and Richard Gold launched their vibrant brand, printing their playful designs on products such as iPhone cases, bags, headphones and travel accessories. We caught up with co-founder, Richard Gold to get the skinny on being in Topshop Oxford Circus and how to make the most of it:
Credibility
Topshop’s fame is a huge selling point for emerging brands when considering using concession space. For Skinny Dip, Richard believed that, “a successful partnership with Topshop would give Skinnydip a huge amount of credibility within the fashion industry.” For many brands, especially for those who are just starting out, selling your products in the likes of Topshop can be a place to kick-start your brand. If your brand is good enough to sit alongside a fashion house such as Topshop, then customers will automatically believe that it’s a brand worth investing in. This was especially the case for Skinny Dip who saw having a concession in Topshop as “a key milestone. It gave our brand immediate recognition and aligned us with other top high street brands.” Being associated with other popular brands is a great why of becoming a household name because often in fashion, it’s about who you know, and who is talking about you.
Visibility
Having a strong marketing campaign is key to ensuring everyone is talking about you. As well as aligning themselves with other great brands, they “ran social media campaigns in the run up to the launch on Skinnydip & Topshop channels along with announcements on our website and target market fashion press. We also held a launch party to showcase our range which was available in Topshop.” Their launch party, which was held at Ice Tank Studios on Tottenham Court Road, was kitted out like a gallery space with DJ’s playing old school classics and signature cocktails all round. By utilising as many social platforms as possible such as social media, parties and online announcements, Skinny Dip ensured that Topshop’s demographic knew they were about to launch a concession in the flagship store and were getting excited for it.
Demand
Skinny Dips success in store is owed, in part, to the fact that Topshop is a great place for accessories brands to really make their mark on the industry. Richard told us that, “Topshop customers immediately understood the Skinnydip aesthetic and started to use our accessories to compliment their outfits.” By setting their products in the store, they could show how their products fitted in with the lifestyle of the shoppers, highlighting a gap in the market and creating their own demand.
Identity
Being part of such a huge fashion store, although perhaps daunting, proved for Skinny Dip to be an opportunity for the brand to place themselves on the map. We asked Richard what his advice would be for those considering launching Topshop and he told us to, “be clear of your brand identity. Make sure your product compliments the Topshop brand but has a strong point of difference.”
If you're excited by what you've read then take a look at our available Topshop spaces here and book your concession space now.
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