Writers throw the book at Philip Green for removing feminist stand from Topshop
TOPSHOP has become embroiled in a row with Penguin Books after dismantling a feminist pop-up stand in its flagship Oxford Street store.
The book on the stand, Feminists Don’t Wear Pink, is a collection of 52 essays written by prominent feminists and compiled by Scarlett Curtis, the columnist and daughter of director Richard Curtis. One of the writers, actress Thandie Newton, called Sir Philip Green, Topshop’s owner, a “loser”.
She tweeted: “Yesterday Philip Green used his big muscles to smash up the Feminists Dont Wear Pink pop-up because he thought it was too controversial!!? Loser.”
Ms Curtis said she was “heartbroken” the stand had been taken down. She added: “Our team at Penguin is the most incredible army of women and I am ridiculously lucky to be working with them. Everyone is a bit shaken but working through it. Let’s just say if you dismantle our shop you better believe we’re coming to smash the patriarchy down in return.
“It’s so infuriating and makes me feel so sick that they literally clothe an entire nation of young girls but think that something talking about those girls’ rights to equality is too ‘controversial’.” Emma Freud, the author’s mother, added: “This happened to my daughter’s pop-up shop for her book #feministsdontwearpink in @topshop. Despite months of clearances, it was taken down by the boss after less than an hour. Is clearly more controversial to be a feminist than even @scarcurtis had thought. #pinknotgreen.”
The pop-up was organised to raise money for United Nations’ Girl Up initiative, which provides leadership development training for young women around the world.
The Daily Telegraph understands Penguin Random House was not given a reason by Topshop when the stall was dismantled 20 minutes after they put it up. The publisher said: “This book aims to prove that the word ‘feminist’ is accessible to everyone. Today’s events suggest there is still some work to do.”
Mr Green declined to comment.