The Clothes Line

Green not interested in buying Debenhams

2007-05-09T02:50:00.000-07:00

Sir Philip Green, who has tried twice to buy Marks and Spencers, has now heard rumours that he was going to buy Debenhams, he was quick to deny them talking to Thomas Financial News. Green said: "Debenhams is of no interest to us whatsoever, We've not looked at it, and we've got no intention of looking at it."

Read More At The Forbes Website

Green To Buy Barneys?

2007-05-09T02:45:00.000-07:00

Philip Green has now put his money into buying more shops as it has been rumoured that the billionaire is considering buying Barneys in New York. Green said: "If it's seriously for sale, it's well within our capability."

Read More Here

Kate Moss and her Topshop debut

2007-05-03T04:03:00.000-07:00

Now some of the chaos over Kate Moss' clothes has died down, in my opinion it was completely blown out of proportion.
Appearing in nearly every newspaper and causing havoc on Oxford Street, when she made a 12 second appearence in the window.
This fiasco is bound to of made Mr Green even more millions, but when going to look at the clothes myself, it has to be said, they werent amazing.
Yes, some of the clothes were nice, but very highly priced for what they are. I heard many people, including myself comment on how the sizing was totally off, not everyone has a super model figure like Kate.
Despite this, many people are making their own profits on the clothes by selling them on ebay, with items like the £45 Daisy print dress going for £110.

Read more about the launch day here

Topshop To Crack America

2007-04-08T03:06:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular Arcadia stores, Topshop, is now to set to launch some of its range in American department store Barneys.
The store which already has 97 outlets overseas, will now be launching parts of the Kate Moss range in the popular department store.
With this expansion, Green is also planning to launch over 100 more stores overseas with flagship stores in Paris. Green said: "This is a massive opportunity to reshape the future".
Read More at The Times Website

More on the sweatshops

2007-03-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

Through doing this blog and researching further into the Arcadia group, I've been finding more and more information out about where and in what conditions the clothes that so many people wear, are made in.

To be honest, I never thought before this blog, in what sort of enviroment the clothes were made in and what treatment the people that makes them suffers. I've found another site that looks further into the factories where the Arcadia groups clothes are made.

With many of the workers interviewed talking of the poor conditions, but Philip Green saying that according to an audit produced for its clients by Bureau Veritas, there are no serious problems at the factory. I think this site is definately worth a look through.

Click here to be taken to the site.

Big Birthday Spend For Green And Party

2007-03-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

It was a big birthday spend for Green and around 100 of his dearest companions, with names such as Simon Cowell and fellow Croydonian Kate Moss being rumoured to be making an appearence.

Its been said that the millionaire, to celebrate his 55th birthday flew his 100 guests by private jet to the the exclusive Maldives resort of Soneva Fushi, an eco-spa on a private Indian Ocean island.

The top secret event is said to be going over five-days paid for by the ever so genrerous Sir Philip Green. With guests being told only to "pack your shorts and be prepared for a long-haul flight".

This is reminiscent of Sir Philip Green's 50th birthday bash, at which, his friend BBC's buisness editor, Jeff Randall, describes Mr Green as: "unconventional, outspoken (often abrasive) and ridiculously wealthy".

Although Sir Philip Green has a love of ostentation, is it right when the world is trying to find ways to battle global warming that Sir Philip and his party will: "leave a heavy carbon footprint; each of his guests will generate 1.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide on their 17,000km round trip"?
Read more at the Guardian website.

Arcadia and sweatshops

2007-03-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

If you ever wondered where and in what conditions, the clothes you buy and wear were made in, click here to find out more.

It contains a detailed account of what the Arcadia group say the conditions of where and how their clothes are made, but also looks at what people found when they investigated the sweatshops.

Beth Ditto makes a stand for larger girls.

2007-03-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

It was today said in the london paper that Topshop have been trying to get American Beth Ditto, 25, to perform promotional gigs with her band The Gossip in some Topshop stores.

Ditto, the 20-stone lead singer, has announced that she would only do the gigs if she was able to design clothes for "big girls". Ditto accused Topshop of trying to cash in on her popularity, even though Ditto would barely fit into any of Topshop's designs.

A spokesman for Topshop said: "We're big fans of Beth Ditto and play her music in the shop, and I think she looks fabulous".

Ditto still stands her ground and said to Sir Philip Green: "I don't want just your money or the cred of hanging out with Kate Moss...I want you to make clothes for big girls, big boys, I want you to make big sizes, if they want our music they've got to actually do something to earn it. I don't need your money unless your going to do it my way".

I ageree with Ditto, although the Arcadia group do have Evans, which stocks sizes 16-32, many young girls that are larger than Topshops 6-16 size range would love the chance to be able to wear the uber-trendy Topshop designs.

Green Clothing For Arcadia

2007-03-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

The Arcadia group is set to use
green clothing embellishments to beautify their clothing.

John Lewis to go Green with energy, Will the Arcadia group follow?

2007-03-05T06:17:00.000-08:00

John Lewis has recently announced their vow to use all renewable energy sources, from hydroelectricity and biomass, which ranges from agricultural waste to plant-based fuel.

After striking a deal with EDF to provide them with the renewable sources, Sir Stuart Hampson, will address a meeting of the New West End Company, which Sir Philip Green and the Arcadia group are apart of.

We will have to wait and see if this means a new green beginning for Green and his group. Do you think he should resort to Greener tactics?

Wallis to increase footwear and accessories

2007-02-24T08:55:00.000-08:00

Wallis, the Arcadia store which is ranked as one of the top performing stores is to increase the footwear and accessories stock to increase their profitability.

No more skinny models for Topshop

2007-02-24T08:45:00.000-08:00

Philip Green announced that he will not be using skinny models anymore and that he hopes "...other people will follow".

Although credit must be given to Philip Green for this because some needs to start the trend. Larger models should also be used in his other Arcadia store, Evans, which stocks sizes 16-32. The models there are said to be a size 16 but if they are they are a very small 16.

Many people into the store have commented on the models, for example one of the comments i received was from Sue Edwards, 35, a house wife who said: "As a larger lady, I'm grateful that there is a store such as Evans that I can go to, but I feel that the models used makes me and other women feel even more insecure, and the clothes just don't hang on us like they do them".

Arcadia Stores Not Accessible To People With Disabilities

2007-02-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

There were threats of Sir Philip Greens empire being taken to court over worry that some of his stores weren't acessible to people with disabilities.

Although this was first threatened a few years a go I still know of Arcadia stores that aren't accessible to people with disabilities, with a lot of stock being on another floor with nothing but a narrow staircase to reach it.

When the public pump so much money into the Arcadia Group why not accommodate the needs of individuals here and there, adding a lift or some other form of access?

Sir Philip Green Takes a Pay Cut

2007-02-21T04:18:00.000-08:00

Hot on the heels of news that Jane Sheperdson has found a new job, it was announced that Sir Philip Green, Arcadia boss is taking a whopping £1.2 billion pay cut. Apparently profits have not been so good this year, with BHS dragging overall performance down despite good results from Wallis and Topman. Nice to know that Philip is willing to reduce his paypacket to ensure the future of his Arcadia group.

Make (...me even more rich) Kate

2007-02-21T01:04:00.000-08:00

Following the ever increasing trend for celebrities to design their own lable (Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake and Lily Allen to name a few) Kate Moss is now launching her own fashion line for the Arcadia group store, Topshop, to be launched in Spring 2007.

Yes, Kate Moss' design's will be popular and yes it will make Philip Green a hell of a lot richer (that's saying a lot for a man who's wealth is around 4 billion) with millions of girls trying to look like the "amazingly cool" Kate. Looking at the idea though does it really seem appropriate?

Topshop aim to target females in the 15-35 years category, although it probably even reaches younger, with girls trying to dress older than they are. Should a woman who's a known drug addict be placed in a spotlight where young influential girls are encouraged to be like her? It doesn't seem right to me.

It's arguable that drugs are already going through a huge normalization, so why make it worse?

With most of the age ranges mentioned in the link being within Topshops target age, why would they want to publicise drugs even more. They may say that their not publicising drugs but just seeing Kates face people are able to associate her to the drug use which was covered in the media and also associate her to the pictures of her husband, Pete Doherty, injecting drugs into a young girl passed out on the floor at a party.

Why would the Arcadia Group want to normalize the use of drugs even more?.....Oh yeah, so Sir Philip Green has more money in his back pocket at the end of the year.

I Would Also Like To Add...

2007-02-20T10:59:00.000-08:00

If anyone holds strong opinions about this high street royalty or wish to comment on anything I have said, please feel free to do so.

About My blog

2007-02-20T02:48:00.000-08:00

This is a blog to cover the ins and outs of the Arcadia group owned by Philip Green.
I feel that holding so much power over the high street and controlling what many people are wearing nowadays its only fair that there is a place where people can come to find out stuff about the company that they give so much money to.