Topshop apologises over removal of feminist pop-up

Fashion retailer Topshop has issued a public apology after removing a feminist pop-up within its Oxford Street flagship store just minutes before opening.

The pop-up, a publicity display to celebrate the release of Feminists Don't Wear Pink (and Other Lies) curated by writer Scarlett Curtis, featured the book alongside products supporting UN charity Girl Up.

However, after just 20 minutes publisher Penguin took to Twitter to express its disappointment that the stand was being dismantled by Topshop staff before the store had even opened.

Penguin UK on its official Twitter, stated: “Today sees the release of #FeministsDontWearPink (And Other Lies), a collection of writing from a group of amazing women on what feminism means to them. To celebrate this timely book, we had agreed to host a pop-up with Topshop, with products supporting the UN charity Girl Up.

“For anyone hoping to visit the pop-up, after a huge amount of work on this ground-breaking partnership we assembled our stand this morning and were raring to go – however, just twenty minutes later it had been dismantled by Topshop.”

Today sees the release of #FeministsDontWearPink (And Other Lies), a collection of writing from a group of amazing women on what feminism means to them. To celebrate this timely book, we had agreed to host a pop-up with Topshop, with products supporting the UN charity Girl Up. pic.twitter.com/PiGnOsKGXX

— Penguin Books UK (@PenguinUKBooks) October 4, 2018

A day later Topshop issued its own statement on Twitter: “Yesterday we made the decision from a production and creative standpoint to retract the Feminists Don't Wear Pink (and Other Lies) pop-up from one of our stores.

“We are sorry - this in no way reflects our stance on feminism and we will be making a donation of 25,000 GBP to Girl Up. We continue to fully support the sentiment of the book, Scarlett Curtis, feminism and equality.”

While no further official explanation has been given about what was wrong with the display from a "production and creative standpoint”, a report in The Guardian suggests that the takedown was issued personally by Topshop owner Sir Phillip Green after he saw the pop-up.

Curtis also added her disappointment, tweeting: “I'm not allowed to say much on this right now but let's just say I am heartbroken and the patriarchy is still alive and kicking... #PinkNotGreen.”

The publicity blunder hasn’t however stopped Feminists Don't Wear Pink, which features a collection of essays by the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling and Fearne Cotton discussing what feminism means to them, being a huge success, with the publicity helping the book rise up the bestseller list.