Sir Phil’s feminist fury!
Book display torn down in Topshop store to dismay of campaigners
TOPSHOP tycoon Sir Philip Green was embroiled in an extraordinary row last night after a display promoting a feminist book was allegedly torn down in his flagship women’s clothing store.
The pop-up promotion for Feminists Don’t Wear Pink And Other Lies had been set up in the Oxford Street shop, only to be dismantled 20 minutes later.
The book, a collection of feminist essays, was compiled by Scarlett Curtis, daughter of comedy writer Richard Curtis and broadcaster Emma Freud.
Proceeds will go to the United Nations initiative Girl Up, which provides leadership development training for young women around the world. Its publisher, Penguin, announced the cancellation of the Topshop display on Twitter – revealing the promotion had been taken down soon after being assembled.
That prompted award-winning actress Thandie Newton to suggest Green was responsible for the move, labelling him a ‘loser’. The 45-year-old Line Of Duty star tweeted: ‘Yesterday Philip Green used his big muscles to smash up the Topshop penguin random Feminists Dont Wear Pink pop-up because he thought it was too controversial!!? LOSER.’
Miss Freud, a regular on Radio 4’s Loose Ends, tweeted: ‘ This is such a bizarre shocker: yesterday Topshop tore down @scarcurtis’s pop up shopfor #feministsdontwearpink on the day the book came out. On the boss’s orders. No explanation given. Maybe he just doesn’t like pink.’
Last night, it was claimed that the stall was removed shortly after Green viewed it on a morning walk through the store before it opened, prompting a Penguin press officer to burst into tears.
A source told the Mail: ‘They were setting up, it was all going well, but then there was a bit of a commotion, Philip Green was stomping round … The women from Penguin were told to go for a walk for 20 minutes, when they got back inside it had all been torn down.’
Photographs shared on Twitter before it was removed show a backdrop emblazoned with slogans including ‘ Feminists don’t like fashion’ and ‘Feminists don’t wear make-up’ with the word ‘don’t’ crossed out in each case.
Neither Topshop nor Penguin responded to questions about exactly what happened or who ordered the display to be removed. But Miss Curtis said: ‘It was a heartbreaking and shocking act. The fact they clothe an entire nation of teenage girls but won’t support something that fights for their equality is awful.’
Last night Green, 66, denied he had personally been involved in dismantling the display, telling the Mail: ‘I did not pull it down myself.’ Topshop said it had had a change of heart over the book being in its store but would still donate £25,000 to Girl Up.
Journalist Miss Curtis said: ‘Everyone is a bit shaken. If you dismantle our shop you better believe we’re coming to smash the patriarchy down in return.’
Stand- up comedian Grace Campbell, daughter of former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell, said: ‘I’m so sick of brands profiting from feminism when it’s convenient for them to make money but not when it’s making real change.’
‘He has done this to try and minimise our voices but this is the exact reason this book is being written; women’s feminist voices
‘They clothe an entire nation of girls’
need to be heard and men like Philip Green trying to quieten us and prevent us from being heard.’
Penguin said: ‘We’re working on finding another place to host our pop-up and the amazing products that support Girl Up. In the meantime, thank you for your support. This book aims to prove that the word “feminist” is accessible to everyone. Today’s events suggest there is still some work to do.’
Naomi Colthurst, a commissioning editor at parent company Penguin Random House, said: ‘A fairly extraordinary day in the office yesterday when Topshop decided “for some reason” they didn’t want to host our Feminists Don’t Wear Pink pop-up after all. Proof, if proof were needed, about how much work is still needed to make feminism accessible for everyone.’
The book has received rave reviews with actress Reese Witherspoon calling it: ‘Brilliant, hysterical, truthful and real. These essays illuminate the path for our future female leaders.’ Hollywood comedian Mindy Kaling said: ‘As a feminist who loves pink, I give this brilliant book an enthusiastic “YES”.’
Last night a Topshop spokesman said: ‘We made the decision from a production and creative standpoint to retract the Feminists Don’t Wear Pink And Other Lies pop-up from one of our stores.
‘We are sorry. This in no way reflects our stance on feminism and we will be making a donation of £25,000 to Girl Up.
‘We continue to fully support the sentiment of the book, Scarlett Curtis, feminism and equality.’