Edinburgh Infiltrate Brand New Topshop

This week, Edinburgh People & Planet members old and new demonstrated at the opening of the city's newly refurbished Topshop.

P&Per sporting the high-fashion “Topshop loves sweatshops” homespun design!

This branch of Topshop (which shares a block with all of Philip Green’s other stores) is one of the largest in the UK and has been under refurbishment for a number of months.

The Redress Fashion-istas walked into the shop with hand-painted “Topshop Loves Sweatshops” t-shirts (initially covered up) and talked to customers and till staff about Topshop’s ethical policy. After being discovered one by one and led out by the shop management, they made a ‘human banner’ outside the shop saying “Get With The Trend, Join The Ethical Trading Initiative” and spoke to members of the public about the issue.

P&Pers also ‘subvertised’ a giant shopping bag advertisement that had been installed the night before outside the Students’ Association. They chalked messages about conditions in Topshop’s factories for the morning rush of students to contemplate.

Afterward ‘topman’ Devin said “This was an opportunity we couldn’t let slip. The response we got from passers by was really good and some of the staff themselves expressed full support for the campaign. We need lots more like this across the UK!”

The P&Pers’ T-shirts spelt out “Get with the trend - join the E. T. I.”