Signing Kate Moss to design fashion lines for Topshop should have been a major business coup for Sir Philip Green, head of Arcadia Group, ‘a masterstroke - teaming up the most famous face in fashion with one
of the coolest high-street names' (Daily Mail, 5 Oct).
Unfortunately, the partnership came at a heavy price - the sudden resignation of brand director Jane Shepherdson, ‘credited with turning Topshop into an edgy high-street fashion emporium' (The Daily Telegraph, 6 Oct).
Green refuted suggestions that the resignation was linked to Moss, asserting the decision to sign the supermodel was ‘unanimous' (The Sun, 5 Oct); and that his former lieutenant simply decided ‘it is time for achange' (KamCity.com, 6 Oct).
The headlines alluded to friction, however - ‘Top shock: Kate Moss and the boss - the inside story of a fashion feud' (The Independent, 8 October).
Megastar.co.uk wrote of ‘tears and big fat huffs in the rag trade', under the headline ‘High-street handbags at dawn' (5 Oct).
Green admitted his disappointment, but remained sanguine. ‘We have a great team... all the things the brand has been doing we plan to continue' (The Times, 7 October).
Analysis conducted by Echo Research from data supplied to PRWeek from Newsnow
