eCommerce Expo review: Topshop promises return to high streets and stores following relaunch success

Moses Rashid, Global Marketing Director at Topshop and Topman, assured delegates at eCommerce Expo at Excel, London last week that the company would be returning to high streets with its own stores. “It’s just a matter of when and where,” he said. “We’ve read the comments - it is going to happen.”

Since August, Topshop has been available on the relaunched Topshop.com, which Rashid said is driving growth for the brand, although it has ambitions to move to an omnichannel model. 

For now, Topshop is available at an exclusive in-store residency in Liberty London on Regent’s Street. It will also launch at 32 John Lewis stores in the UK, starting in February 2026, with Topman to be sold in six stores.

“We want to take the brand across the UK, not just London,” Rashid said of the partnership. “Our core audience may or may not already shop there,” he noted but added that the department store was undergoing a transformation of its own, adding 100 new brands to its roster in a bid to compete with rivals Marks and Spencer and Next. 

Rashid also spoke of an awarenewss of the need to tread carefully with the beloved Topshop brand. “Many of us have an emotional connection to this brand,” he said. “Everyone has a memory connected to it - but can you let that stop you from making changes?”

While Topshop’s existing fanbase is an obvious market, Rashid said there would be a new focus on Gen Z and Gen Alpha coming through, although he reassured fans: “We’re not reinventing the wheel, we’re just picking the best bits.”

A catwalk celebrating Topshop’s relaunch also announced Cara Delevingne as its first brand ambassador. Rashid shared that the company was currently in talks with a second ambassador, who will be announced soon.

“Year one was all about taking it back to the streets,” Rashid said of Topshop’s relaunch and return to the high streets via its department store partnerships. “Year two - that’s going to be the homecoming,” he added, stating that what exactly this entails will become clear within the next year.

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Physical stores will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now closed for entries with our finalists and shortlists being announced last week, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.