Sir Philip Green has just announced that he expects over 250 of his Arcadia stores to close in the next three years, as they have experienced over a 40% drop in profits compared with last year. 

“We have got – from my memory – 450 or 460 stores where leases expire in the next three years,” Sir Philip Green said. “And I think on our latest summary we will close more than half of those on lease expiry. So I would say, I would expect us to close 250, 260. Now, there may be other opportunities that turn up that we might want to open. But certainly, in terms of our existing portfolio, currently that’s our thinking.”

So what will happen to our beloved Arcadia-owned Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins and Burton? The man himself revealed that he isn’t sure about the fate of his most successful shops, but he did let on that we can expect to see heavy discounts this Christmas… and we have the weather-gods to thank for it.

Sir Philip Green explained that there hasn’t been a demand for winter warmers, due to the unusual lack of cold we have been experiencing.

“It’s been the hottest October and November in history,” he said. “Nobody can deal with that. Winter goods are tough. Trading conditions remain extremely challenging, with style, quality and value at the top of our agenda and more important than ever. I do believe everybody today is more financially aware than they’ve ever been in their life.”

We don’t know what will happen to Topshop in the long run, but we can at least make the most of the sales now that we have the chance.

Happy bargain hunting!

[Vogue]

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Camel – in all its various shades – is huge this year, and Dorothy Perkins has hit the trend right on the spot with this ruffle layer crop jacket. A true statement piece from the high street, we love the designer cut which is sure to add some va va voom to our new-season wardrobe.

The origami-inspired ruffles offer a futuristic edge to the jacket, making it a great investment for the coming season – not only is it elegant and chic but it’s also contemporary and guaranteed to make you stand out from the fashion crowd.

Wear it over a jumpsuit with stacks of jewellery for work, or layer over a classic LBD in the evening – the idea is to work with a simple base and let the jacket do all the talking.

Dorothy Perkins is also giving shoppers 20% off until 10th October so grab this sleek jacket before it’s too late!

Taupe Ruffle Layer Crop Jacket, £70, available exclusively online at Dorothy Perkins. BUY NOW!

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We’ve already taken a look at what Topshop had to offer at the Arcadia SS10 day; now let’s have a peek at what some of some of the other stores had in store:

Miss Selfridge:
Miss Selfridge went all retro fairground on us with an old school carousel, ticket office and fruit machines used as props around the store’s mannequins. The fun setting complemented the strong theme of flirty, romantic dresses and skirts in neutral tones which – teamed with antiquey inspired jewellery – nodded towards the style of Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan. There were also brief apperances of coloured, beaded embellishments and Prada-like heels with scarf ties. Youthful accessories came in the shape of vibrant sweetie charms.

Dorothy Perkins:
DP’s has really concentrated on it’s shoe collection for next season, with an impressive range of heels on show. One particular pair of pink platforms resembled something from Kurt Geiger and the studded courts in black and patent beige were that edgy side of glam.

Clothing wise, romantic frills were seen once again, alongside a spot of the preppy nautical style and one sequinned dress (could the trend be diminishing?) in unusual and striking white.

Wallis:
Wallis came up with a strong collection for next year, showcasing sophisticated handbags and accessories alongside animal print and tribal style clothing in warm, sumptuous hues. polka dot and stripey prints came in monochrome and the more exciting pieces were those that were – again – more neutral. Two winners included the dove grey suede jacket and the asymmetrical zebra print dress. Expect more shoulder pads at Wallis, too.

Evans:
There was a lot of print at Evans, whether it was floral dresses and bags or animal print pumps and bags. The jackets were our favourites – two of which took on the military theme, and another pink tweed number that was certainly inspired by Chanel. Lace was used here again – similiarly to the other Arcadia stores – and the appearance of white crotchet tops definitely brought out the holiday feeling

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As one of the UK’s biggest retailers, the Arcadia spring 2010 press day was bound to be a busy affair. Victoria House was packed with fashion insiders including Susie Lau of Style Bubble and the Arcadia man himself, Sir Philip Green, all sneaking a peek at the latest offerings from Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Evans, Topman and Burton. We popped down for a preview and a couple of tiny bowls of sausage and mash. Delish.

Topshop:
While the other Arcadia stores had to share floorspace, Topshop – undoubtedly the shining star of the business – was given a more exclusive feel, with a much larger, separate room for their spring 2010 collections. Topshop shone in the accessories department and we were particularly drawn to some romantic, suede and lace ankle booties, which are perfect for tricky transeasonal dressing. Neutral was key for Topshop, adding detail with buckles, tassels and in one worrying case, espadrille wedges. They’ve also done a pretty good version of the Ray Ban Clubmaster…

Topshop have gone down the predictable route of distressed denim once again – but, they do execute well. This season sees rolled-up, lightwashed jeans teamed with striped crops as well as loose denim jackets having been given the late eighties, early nineties ‘cool’ with their badged effect. With denim being a popular fabric choice of spring 2008, Topshop have sensed the need to update current trends in this time of financial difficulty.

Spring 2010 at Topshop is definitely more of a casual affair. Cutesy ladybird prints and florals appeared briefly in tailored shorts and t-shirts, as did comfy, jersey basics in that straight-out-of-Fame look. The stand out pieces however, were the more elegant items in neutral lace and unusual, digital print. That said we love the laid-back layering of jersey and mesh in this ensemble that reminds us a tad of Helmut Lang…

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