Kate Phelan and Gordon Richardson. Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images
While we’re constantly keeping up with designer musical chairs rumors and replacements within the luxury sector of the industry, there’s a new shakeup coming from the fast fashion space. On Wednesday afternoon, WWD reported that Kate Phelan and Gordon Richardson, creative chiefs of Topshop and Topman, respectively, will step down from their roles. Phelan joined Topshop in 2011 after more than two decades working alongside Lucinda Chambers at British Vogue. Richardson has been with Topman for more than 16 years.
Taking their place will be David Hägglund, who will serve as the sole creative director of both brands starting on Sept. 4, while Phelan and Richardson will continue to work for the company through the end of the year. Hägglund, who hails from Sweden, was a former art director for Vogue Paris and founded his own creative design studio with a client list that included the likes of H&M and Hugo Boss.
According to WWD, Sir Philip Green has been reorganizing the fashion label, as well as Arcadia Group’s parent Taveta Investments, as a response to poor business due to Brexit and the rapid rise of high street competitors like ASOS, H&M, Zara and Uniqlo. Hägglund joins additional Topshop hire Paul Price, who comes from Burberry as CMO to start a brand new role as CEO of Topshop and Topman.
We’ve reached out to Topshop for comment and to learn more about Phelan and Richardson’s next steps in their careers. Recently, Phelan was hired by new Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful as a contributing fashion editor for British Vogue.
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