Beijing Design Week kicked off this past weekend with the opening of its fashion pop-up shop. An old factory space in Beijing’s Dashilar was converted into a special exhibition space for the pop-up shop. This space also celebrates Topshop’s move into China by hosting a Topman pop-up store and a special Topshop designer retrospective.
International fast-fashion retailers are doing very well in China. Just in Beijing, H&M and Zara already have eight and nine stores respectively. And insider sources tell us that Forever 21 is opening up a store in Shanghai’s Bund at the beginning of next year. But unlike these other fast-fashion behemoths, Topshop is cautiously treading into China’s retail waters. In fact, Topshop’s pop-up shop at Beijing Design Week is not the retailer’s first move in China. In August, the Topman first came to Beijing through a conceptual retail extension at Fei Space, a boutique located in the city’s 798 art district. Since then, Fei Space has been closely working with Top man to develop a product line of pieces from various collections, as well as a mix of designer collaborations and limited edition ranges.
Topshop would certainly fair very well in China. Nevertheless, its cautious move into new retail territory is rather typical of Arcadia, the British group that owns Topshop. Before opening stores in New York and Paris, the retailer first tested its products with a boutique in those cities. Topshop began with Opening Ceremony in New York and with Colette in Paris. Hopefully, this boutique partnership and pop-up shop at Beijing Design Week will mean that Topshop will be opening a store in China in the near future.
Check out Topshop at Beijing Design Week from September 25th through October 3rd. Located at 8 Dawailangying Hutong, Dashilar, Xicheng District.
